The Government has unveiled its plan to double New Zealand's billion-dollar mining industry.
Resources Minister Shane Jones on Thursday launched a draft strategy for the minerals sector in New Zealand at a community meeting in Blackball on the West Coast.
"Today, in the heart of mining country, I am telling Kiwis they are back in business," Jones said.
"No longer will these communities with rich histories intertwined with mining be told they cannot utilise the rich mineral endowments contained in their land."
The Draft Minerals Strategy for New Zealand to 2040, which is now open for consultation, proposes producing a critical minerals list for New Zealand and undertaking a detailed stock take of the country's known mineral potential.
Jones said the strategy will include actions to clarify where mining can take place, adding schedule 4 land is off the table.
"My vision is that we change the prevailing mantra about mining to one that doesn’t begin and end with extraction but one that focuses on our mineral needs, economic opportunities, and our ability to deliver on this while benefiting our environment and communities."
Jones said his first focus area is growing New Zealand's wealth on the back of minerals.
Currently, minerals generate export earnings of $1 billion annually, $21 million in royalties and more than 5000 direct jobs for New Zealanders, Jones said. He wants to double export value to $2 billion by 2035 and provide more than 7000 jobs.
"This is not out of reach," Jones said. "The establishment of 10 significant mining operations, each having the potential to generate $100m per annum, can lead this growth pathway.
"To unlock that potential, mining needs to happen in the right place, in the right way and in partnership with tangata whenua and local communities. But we don't have the right settings to allow this at present."
Jones said the Coalition Government will "remove red tape" to allow efficient mining development.
"Ultimately, we want to enable major projects by improving decision-making timeframes and giving greater investment certainty, with well-designed projects having a clear and fast path to consent.
"The Fast-track Approvals Bill is already before Parliament but there is more work needed across all of the legislation and approvals required by miners when they are working outside the fast-track process."
The key actions from this strategy that are already underway:
- Implementing the Fast-track Approvals Bill
- Producing a critical minerals list for New Zealand
- Improving the efficiency of the permitting process under the Crown Minerals Act 1991 and clearing the minerals applications queue
- Making amendments to the Resource Management Act 1991 and its national direction to improve consenting processes and ensure it provides an enabling and enduring framework for responsible minerals development
- Completing a detailed stocktake of New Zealand’s known mineral potential
- Promoting investment opportunities to increase the scale and pace of development
Jones said the mineral sector is critical to the economic prosperity of New Zealand.
"It has been a transformative agent for our country in the past, and I expect it to play a transforming role into the future."
Consultation on the draft minerals strategy closes on July 21, 2024.
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