Nat. parks prospecting

Press, 12 November 1977, Page 4

Nat. parks prospecting

PA Wellington Amending legislation to reopen the way for mineral exploration in New Zealand’s national parks has been introduced into Parliament by the Minister of Mines (Mr Gair). The Mining Amendment Bill makes it clear a prospecting licence in national parks cannot be automatically converted into a mining licence.

With the threat of the automatic right of exchange, the National Parks Authority felt approval of a prospecting licence by the Minister of Lands was tantamount to approval of a mining licence, Mr Gair said. “Consequently, since 1973 (when the Mining Act came into force) no exploration has taken place in parks." Mr Gair said national parks covered a large percentage of New Zealand’s land mass, much of it in the most favourable geological environment for the possible location of economic deposits of minerals. “We need these areas ex-

plored and the Minister of Lands (Mr V., S. Young) agrees with me that the hiatus that has followed the introduction of the 1971 Mining Act must end and exploration must be allowed to resume," Mr Gair said. For national park land, it removes the automatic right of exchange and replaces it with a right of priority. “Thus, when a prospecting licence is granted, a decision on a mining licence is not committed," Mr Gair said. “Mining proposals can be examined quite independently and at the more appropriate time when an economic evaluation of a mineral deposit is available."

The Minister said the mining industry was naturally reluctant to see what it considered an important right eroded. “But I believe I have been able to persuade the industry of the necessity for this gnove in recognition of the special nature of national parks.” The bill also proposes the Ministers of Mines and Lands

act jointly in considering whether to consent to applications for prospecting and I mining Licences in national; parks. At present only the] Minister of Lands’ consent is l required. “This is seen as an essem tial step to ensure that both points of view — mining and environmental — are sufficiently represented where perhaps this has not been possible in the past,” Mr Gair said.

The bill amends the present provision which requires the Minister of Lands to give his consent before the Minister of Mines can grant an exploration licence over national park and reserve land. It is replaced with a requirement that the Minister of Lands be given 28 days notice of the intent to grant an exploration licence. A new requirement is then introduced by which the holder of an exploration licence has to give reasonable notice to the controlling authority of the park or reserve of his intention to enter the land.

The holder of the explora-

| tion licence also has to comI ply with any reasonable conI ditions imposed by that [authority while he is in the area. Previously, once an exploration licence was granted, the holder was not obliged to accept that his entry could be governed by conditions, “This bill is a significant one,” Mr Gair said. “It provides the means for the resumption of mineral exploration in our national parks. “This is important for New Zealand. We must know what and where our mineral resources are and what the costs may be of developing them.” The bill ensured a proper evaluation of those costs could be made and established for national parks clear divisions between exploration, prospecting and mining. The bill was referred to the Lands and Agricultural Select Committee.

“I trust the committee can complete its consideration of this bill without delay, for there is no reason why the amendment should not be passed this session,” Mr Gair said.