West Coast tired of being the country's 'environmental conscience'

Sunday, 17 November 2019

Grey mayor Tania Gibson makes an impassioned plea for the Government to listen to West Coasters.

West Coasters are protesting against government policies one mayor says are hurting the region's economy and 'pushing people to the edge'.

Thousands attended rally in Greymouth on Sunday organised by a group called Naturally Together, which says Coast communities face significant pressure due to the Government's 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.

Protesters at a rally in Greymouth against government policies they believe are hurting the West Coast.

There is also frustration applications for a new mine in Buller and a hydro scheme on the Waitaha River were declined.

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Thousands turned out to the West Coast rally, organised by Naturally Together.

*** Ministers hit back at West Coasters planning rally against Government policies

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Marj Brown is backing the West Coast protest action.

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Grey mayor Tania Gibson says New Zealand is not making 'a dent' in the global carbon emissions

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Gibson said New Zealand was not making 'a dent' in the global carbon emissions.

Deer farmer Chris McLaughlin is accusing the Government of a 'land grab' on the West Coast.

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 that we do not use our natural resources and do not access land of low conservation value and 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 that have worked hard and are now facing uncertainty.

The Government was 'pushing people to the edge, not knowing what their future holds', Gibson said,.

She 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,' she said.

The rally had speakers from all sectors of West Coast industries; mining, farming, tourism, forestry, plus lines company Westpower and Te Rūnanga o Ngāti 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's 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.'