Central Otago gold mine backers aiming for fast-track approval
The backers of two proposed Central Otago gold mines are hoping to be included in fast-tracking legislation, avoiding onerous planning processes.
Hawkeswood Mining Ltd, which is seeking consent for a mine in Miller’s Flat, near Roxburgh, appears to be facing an uphill battle for consents following planner’s recommendations to decline applications before the Central Otago District and Otago regional councils.
Meanwhile, publicly listed Santana Minerals presented a scoping report to the Australian Stock Exchange that indicated it could make revenue of $4.4 billion over 10 years, at a gold mine at Bendigo, near Cromwell.
Both companies have indicated they intend seeking resource consent under the controversial Fast Track Approvals Bill, which is currently before the Select Committee.
The bill will likely enable nationally or regionally important infrastructure projects to override some legislation, thus speeding up the consenting process.
Resources Minister Shane Jones visited Santana’s Bendigo site in March, telling the Otago Daily Times the project would create $300 million to $400m worth of export revenue for the Otago economy, plus 200 jobs.
Jones said he encouraged the company to participate in the Fast Track Approvals legislation process and “put their best foot forward”.
In terms of potential biodiversity losses at the site, he said he would not have a situation “where these creatures are either deified or weaponised to prevent economic development”.
Jones declined to answer questions on the projects this week.
In its scoping report, Santana simply notes the introduction of the Fast Track Approvals Bill.
It says there is no certainty that the legislation will be passed, nor that the project will be considered of national significance.
“This means the permitting process would likely default back to the provisions in the Resource Management Act 1991. “Under this legislation, the permitting process could be considerably protracted.” Hawkeswood Mining Ltd owner and director Andrew Hawkeswood said the company had applied for fast tracking.
The Government had sent out 200 letters to companies advising them of the process, but Hawkeswood did not receive one, he said.
“We are definitely of regional importance, especially in that area that’s just dying.”
The fast track process was the company’s resource consent “backstop”, he said. He was disappointed but not surprised with the council planners’ recommendations that the mine proposal be rejected. The district council report also detailed two abatement notices issued to the company - one for undertaking mining activities and another for establishing a green waste recycling facility.
Hawkeswood said the council was notified of the green waste facility, so he was surprised about the abatement notice.
“There was no advantage to us. It was for the community,” he said. The councils said the proposal breached numerous standards including the quantity, scale and duration of earthworks, hazardous substances, traffic generation, storage and access.
The degree of visual and acoustic change to the environment was considered to be inappropriate in an area described as “tranquil”.
There was not sufficient evidence to demonstrate that the potential effect on fauna, in particular on skinks, would be appropriate, nor the potential effect on cultural and Māori heritage values.
A public hearing on the project is scheduled for May 14 and 15, in Millers Flat. Public submissions on the Government’s proposed Fast-track Approvals Bill close on Friday.
As well as providing an avenue for projects to be considered and approved, the legislation will also contain a list of projects to be included in the bill itself. The final decisions on certain projects would be the hands of the Ministers for Infrastructure, Transport, and Regional Development - currently Chris Bishop, Simeon Brown and Shane Jones.
Professor of politics at Massey University, Richard Shaw, told Stuff he was concerned about the final decision making authority being held by three ministers and that economic development would be prioritised at the expense of the environment.