Submissions due on Mixed Ownership Model Bill & Crown Minerals Act Review

There are two important submissions deadlines looming that may be of interest to many of you:

1. The Mixed Ownership Model Bill, submissions due on Friday 13 April
2. The Review of the Crown Minerals Act Regime, submissions due Friday 20 April.

We have included links to the relevant discussion documents and submission guides, helpfully prepared by other groups.

We are aware that these two pieces of legislation are core pieces of National’s policy and that the Government will be reluctant to change either of them. However, we feel it is important to show the extent of the opposition to these proposed legislative changes as they are both likely to lead to a significant increase in coal mining in New Zealand.

If our many submissions are ignored, we expect to have to show opposition in other ways!

1. Mixed Ownership Model Bill

The Mixed Ownership Model Bill needs to be passed in order for the government to begin the sale of state owned assets. National has identified a number of state-owned energy companies that it wishes to partly privatize, including Solid Energy. If Solid Energy is privatized, this will provide foreign investment to kick start Solid Energy’s bigger lignite plans, and also make it harder for a future New Zealand government to impose restrictions on Solid Energy’s coal mining activities.

This is an opportunity to show the government the level of opposition to asset sales, so we would encourage people to put together a short (or long!) submission outlining why you are opposed to these plans. The Green Party has put together a great submission guide online, check it out at: http://www.greens.org.nz/takeaction/submissionguides/submission-guide-government-bill-partially-privatise-our-energy-companies

Submissions due: 5pm Friday 13 April

Address submissions to: The Chairperson, Finance and Expenditure Committee, Parliament Buildings, Wellington

Or make an online submission at http://www.parliament.nz/en-NZ/PB/SC/MakeSub/0/2/d/50SCFE_SCF_00DBHOH_BILL11223_1-Mixed-Ownership-Model-Bill.htm

2. Review of the Crown Minerals Act Regime

The Crown Minerals Act Regime is also under review. The purpose of the review is to “encourage the development of Crown-owned minerals so that they contribute more to New Zealand’s economic development; streamline and simplify the regime; and to ensure better coordination of regulatory agencies.” BUT! Many of the proposed changes will erode the already weak regulatory regime and open the country up further to mining.

We encourage you to take time to read the discussion paper and the proposed changes to the petroleum and minerals regime. Details at
http://www.med.govt.nz/sectors-industries/natural-resources/oil-and-gas/review-of-the-crown-minerals-act-regime/

The Green Party has information about the Crown Minerals Act Review and a sample submission here: http://www.greens.org.nz/takeaction/submissionguides/review-crown-minerals-act-1991-regime

Submissions due: 5pm Friday 20 April 2012

Postal address: Resources Policy Group, Ministry of Economic Development, PO Box 1473, Wellington 6140

Email: CMAReview@med.govt.nz

There are a series of review questions that the Ministry is asking for feedback on, and of particular interest is Chapter 2: Health, safety and environmental (HSE) matters. It is a fairly short chapter to read and worth giving feedback on! Also of interest are Chapter 4: Petroleum, and Chapter 5: Tier 1 Minerals, especially the review questions relating to HSE matters.

Jeanette Fitzsimons on selling Solid Energy

Labour lignite policy a big step in the right direction

Press release
Sunday 6 November 2011
FOR IMMEDIATE USE

Coal Action Network spokesperson Tim Jones says the group is pleased the Labour Party has decided to oppose plans to mine Southland lignite. In its newly-released environment policy, Labour says it will, if elected to Government, not allow Solid Energy to mine for lignite in Southland or convert lignite to liquid fuels.

“We view Labour’s policy as a major step in the right direction,” says Tim Jones. “Labour has clearly taken on board the message that mining up to six billion tonnes of lignite that lies beneath prime Southland farmland will lead to many billion tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions and also devastate the land, rivers, and air of Southland.”

Labour joins the Green Party and the Mana Party in announcing policy opposed to the expansion of coal mining in general and lignite mining in particular.

“Unlike the National Government, Labour, the Greens and Mana understands that New Zealand’s international commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions would be completely undermined by a future in which we make our economy more, not less, dependent on fossil fuels,” Tim Jones continued.

But the Coal Action Network Aotearoa is sounding a note of caution about Labour’s policy. “Although stopping Solid Energy in its tracks would be a major achievement, private companies, such as L&M Mining, are also sniffing around the Southland lignite reserves. If these companies simply step in and take Solid Energy’s place, neither the climate nor the Southland environment will be any better off.”

“That’s why we are calling for a total ban on new coal mining, including lignite mining in Southland, as the first step towards phasing out the use of coal altogether,” Tim Jones concluded.

ENDS

Contact
Tim Jones, Coal Action Network Aotearoa Spokesperson
027 359 0293

Carbon Emission Figures

A few figures on carbon emissions

* As of 2010, the net annual increase in carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is about 30 billion tonnes.

* If Solid Energy digs up 6 billion tonnes of lignite it will add a total of 8.8 billion tonnes of CO2 to the atmosphere.