Policies ‘harming’ West Coast
West Coasters are protesting against policies one mayor says are hurting the region’s economy and ‘‘pushing people to the edge’’.
Thousands attended a rally in Greymouth yesterday organised by a group called Naturally Together, which says Coast communities face significant pressure due to Government decisions. Grey mayor Tania Gibson said the freshwater action plan, the potential ban on new mining on conservation land, the Indigenous Freshwater Fish Bill, the rejection of windblown timber legislation, and an upcoming review of significant natural areas by district councils all had potential to do ‘‘irrevocable harm’’ to the West Coast economy. There is also frustration applications for a new mine in Buller and a hydro scheme on the Waitaha River were declined.
Gibson said New Zealand was not making ‘‘a dent’’ in the global carbon emissions.
The Coast had clean waterways and large, natural forests, she said. Its approach to sustainable development was ‘‘sound’’. ‘‘What other region can claim the same? Yet while continuing to grow and prosper these regions insist we do not use our natural resources and do not access land of low conservation value and do not use opportunities to do better as people? ‘‘This is simply not fair. ‘‘We are expected to be the nation’s environmental conscience. We have business owners on the West Coast and around the country that are genuinely afraid for their livelihoods, who have worked hard and are now facing uncertainty.’’
The Government was ‘‘pushing people to the edge, not knowing what their future holds’’.
Gibson said New Zealand needed coal, but the Government was proposing to ban any new mining on conservation land.
‘‘Yet they will import dirty products from unethical countries,’’ she said. ‘‘I am here today to ask the Government to listen to us. We are sick of being spoken about, we want to be spoken to,’’ Gibson said.
The rally had speakers from all sectors of West Coast industries – mining, farming, tourism, forestry – plus lines company Westpower and Te Ru¯ nanga o Nga¯ ti Waewae.
West Coast deer farmer Chris McLaughlin said he attended the rally because of the Government’s ‘‘land grab’’ on the West Coast. ‘‘They are closing us down, and what for? Trees. People need to live ... they can’t eat grass.
‘‘The coal mines and the gold mines are closing down, while they import coal from Indonesia. ‘‘Where is the sense in that?’’ Four National MPs, along with leader Simon Bridges, and NZ First MP Mark Patterson attended. West Coast MP Damien O’Connor did not. Bridges called the Government’s approach a ‘‘full frontal assault on the region’’. ‘‘The West Coast is full of hard-working and passionate New Zealanders. Many of their livelihoods depend on the land and the Government wants to rip that out from under them,’’ he said. ‘‘Coasters have had enough and I don’t blame them.’’