Kiwis Against Seabed Mining

Timeline of Events :

   

SEABED MINING - THE TIMELINE

 

Stage one: Do the groundwork:

1991
The statutory basis:
The "Crown Minerals Act 1991" comes into being, replacing the Mines Act
Excerpt: "... to allow extraction and selling of Crown owned minerals ...".
Legally that makes perfect sense: the Crown can sell only what the Crown owns.

2003
The "seabed and foreshore issue" begins to unfold in public, arising from an application from Maori to the courts for a ruling on their customary rights and therefore the ownership of the New Zealand seabed and foreshore. Waitangi Tribunal hears claim WAI 1071.

 

24.11.2004
Passing of the Foreshore and Seabed Act (2004).
This act redefines the title to the seabed and removes the possibility of any Maori challenge to seabed mining, in New Zealand courts. This is also the Act that is portrayed as protecting the foreshore and seabed for all Kiwis.

 

11.05.2004
Iron Ore NZ Ltd, is registered in Christchurch for RUTHERFORD, John G, a lawyer from Christchurch (former director until 22.04.2005: HANNA, James A from Blenheim NZ), Co Reg. No. 1511587
"... Christchurch solicitor John Rutherford, who is the New Zealand lawyer representing the group, says he cannot name the client organisation he represents for confidentiality reasons at this stage ..."

 

28.09.2004
Seafield Resources Ltd, a shell company for an investor group from the Isle of Man, British Virgin Islands and Luxembourg, is registered in Auckland, NZ Reg. No. 1558736. Research has indicated that Seafield’s primary focus is for gold.The inclusion of the Seafield permits here in the blacksand agenda is based on the permits including the minerals ilmenite and magnetite.

 

10.11.2004
Iron Ore NZ Ltd applies to the Department of Crown Minerals (Ministry of Economic Development) for a Prospecting Permit for iron ore sand on 1,269 sq km of seabed along the Taranaki coast.

 

20.12.2004
Black Sand Exploration Ltd, a shell company for "Best Quality of Life Pty", Australia, is registered in Auckland for HUANG, Bernadette and HUANG, Ping. NZ Reg. No. 1588892. They are represented by "MacLean Law" from Auckland. Postal addresses for "MacLean Law" and "Black Sands Exploration Ltd." in Auckland are identical. Postal addresses for the HUANG couple and "Best Quality of Life Pty." in Australia are identical - an address in Concord, NSW. Mr HUANG has a business background in public healthcare in China.

 

10.01.2005
Black Sand Exploration Ltd applies for an Exploration Permit to the Crown Minerals Department (Ministry of Economic Development) for iron ore sand covering an area of 3,617 sq km along the coast from Taranaki to Kaipara Harbour. This application, together with the one from Iron Ore NZ Ltd (above) now means that the West Coast of the North Island is covered from south of New Plymouth to north of the Kaipara Harbour, from the low water line 18 km out to sea. 4,887 square kilometers - an area eight times the size of Lake Taupo.

Stage two - make it waterproof, make it legal:

 

17.01.2005
The "Foreshore and Seabed Act 2004" and the "Resource Management (Foreshore and Seabed) Amendment Act 2004" comes into force. Now the Crown owns foreshore and seabed and legally can grant permits for prospecting, exploration and mining operations.

Remember: the "Crown Minerals Act 1991" states: "... to allow extraction and selling of Crown owned minerals ..." - which is now a legal actuality, because the Crown now "owns" the seabed and foreshore, with no interference from the Waitangi tribunal or the Courts. Only two weeks later:

Stage three - then execute:

 

21.02.2005
Prospecting Permit for "Iron Ore NZ Ltd" granted by Crown Minerals. : "Permit No. 39287, area: 1269.79 sq km, district: NON TERRITORIAL, years: 2, company: IRON ORE NEW ZEALAND LTD"

 

09.03.2005
The first press report and first public announcement about seabed mining appears in the "Waikato Times": exerpt: "... Ernst & Young spokesman Aaron Gilmore, who is overseeing the application for Project All Black ( = "Black Sand Exploration Ltd" = "Best Quality of Life Pty." - editor), said it could earn the Crown tens of millions of dollars in taxes and royalties ...".

This information only became known when Crown Minerals, fulfilling minimum obligations in the Crown Minerals Act, contacted Tainui by post to inform them about the planned operation, regarding wahi tapu (sacred sites) areas.

 

25.03.2005
The action group "KASM - Kiwis Against Seabed Mining" is formed in Raglan during a second very vocal meeting at the Raglan Church Hall.

 

April 2005
"Iron Ore NZ Ltd" starts a permitted prospecting operation for iron sand offshore Taranaki.

 

09.06.2005
Prospecting Permit for "Seafield Resources Ltd" granted by Crown Minerals. Excerpt: "Permit Nr 39288, area: 8,689 sq km, district: OFFSHORE WESTLAND LAND DISTRICT, years: 2, company: SEAFIELD RESOURCES LTD"

09.06.2005
Prospecting Permit for "Seafield Resources Ltd" granted by Crown Minerals. Excerpt: "Permit Nr 39291, area: 1,489 sq km, district: OFFSHORE WESTLAND LAND DISTRICT, years: 2, company: SEAFIELD RESOURCES LTD" .

Now a large percentage of the West Coast of New Zealand is covered by permits granted to foreign mining companies.

Stage four - Start the Propaganda campaign:

 

11.04.2005
Harry Duynhoven (Labour MP New Plymouth, Assoc. Minister of Energy) is reported in the NZ Herald, excerpt: "... Mr Duynhoven said he had heard rumours that the applicant was a Chinese company. It's not. The company is registered in Australia. It may well have some Chinese partners but are we getting xenophobic here? Black Sand is a subsidiary of Best Quality of Life Group, which is an Australian company ...".

Black Sand Exploration Ltd. (directors: Mr & Mrs Huang) which is operating in New Zealand, is not from China - but from Auckland (registered there 20.12.04). Mr & Mrs Huang, who are directors of "Best Quality of Life Pty.", have the same address in Concord, NSW, Australia.

 

20.04.2005
"Black Sands Exploration Ltd" application for a prospecting permit is rejected by Crown Minerals because of "missing technical information". This rejection was announced by Crown Minerals officials to a Tainui Hapu meeting in Raglan.

 

29.04.2005
Harry Duynhoven (Labour MP New Plymouth, Assoc. Minister of Energy) states in a letter to KASM, excerpt: "... there is no proposal ... to mine off-shore iron sands ...". We knew that. But there is a prospecting operation underway...

 

30.04.2005
Nanaia Mahuta (Labour Party Maori seat) states by email to the editor of Raglan Chronicle: "... Please be advised that the black sands application was rejected ..." We knew that too. But there is a prospecting operation underway...

 

11.05.2005
Jim Anderton (Minister for Economic Development) states in a letter to KASM: "...there is currently no proposal before the crown to mine these sands, nor do I see one to mine in the foreseeable future ..."

 

May 2005
"Iron Ore NZ Ltd" begins its prospecting operation on 1,269 sq km seabed for iron sand offshore Taranaki.

 

04.06.2005
"Iron Ore NZ Ltd." prospecting operation is completed said Mr J Rutherford, director and single shareholder. The prospectors have discovered huge layers of iron rich sand in only 20 to 60 metres depth, 2 to 3 kilometers out in the Tasman Sea. (Taranaki Daily News 04.06.2005)

 

June 2005
"Seafield Resources Ltd" soon to start their permitted prospecting operation on almost 10,000 sq km along the South Island West Coast.

 

July 2005
Taranaki Regional Council requests ASR to evaluate 60 soft sediment samples for biological content from the Waitara prospecting area. Press Release

Stage five - play it down... "there is no proposal to mine"...

Under New Zealand law, the Crown Minerals Act (1991), prospecting is the first stage in a three step process:
1 - prospecting
2 - exploration
3 - mining
One can expect a mining company wants to get to stage three if stage one (prospecting) is underway.

But wait - there's more, hard facts...
Fact 1: There is already a prospecting permit granted to Iron Ore NZ Ltd, and there is a prospecting operation for iron ore sand already completed.

Fact 2: "Iron Ore NZ Ltd." mentions "up to 300 jobs" and "billions of $ revenue" in Taranaki.

Fact 3: Port Taranaki, as a deep-water port, is planned to be used by "Iron Ore NZ Ltd." for shipping the iron ore overseas.

Fact 4: Harry Duynhoven is Assoc. Minister of Energy and as such is responsible for prospecting, exploration and mining permits at the Crown Minerals Department.

Fact 5: Harry Duynhoven is also Labour MP for New Plymouth ...

 

The consequences

• Large profits will go companies in Australia, China and Saudi-Arabia. Yes! The New Plymouth Daily Times tells us that the Saudis are now getting in on the act. What next?

• Royalties will be paid to the NZ Government. We don't know how they will be spent.

• The iron will go to China to be turned into low grade steel.

• Some few jobs will go to the city of New Plymouth. Some jobs will possiblyalso be lost in Taranaki and along the rest of the West Coast.

• Some lawyers will get rich.

• We, the majority of the inhabitants of the West Coast, will gain absolutely nothing.

• We will be left with an exploited and damaged coastline, a depleted fishery and thus a compromised tourist trade.

 

And finally, this is an official statement from The New Zealand Labour Party:

 

 

"Our green agenda is central to our vision.
We are committed to protecting and enhancing our environment"

 

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updated 26.07.2005