7. Mining creates well-paid jobs and is important to the New Zealand economy
A ban on mining on conservation land will not produce the environmental benefits its proponents suggest, yet it will have serious impacts on the New Zealand economy.
We risk losing jobs, overseas revenue, investment, export markets, taxes and funding (that can help manage and improve the conservation estate). Most importantly we risk destroying livelihoods in important regions and wiping out entire communities.
Mining makes a contribution to the New Zealand economy. And there is tremendous potential for growth.
It has been said that places such as the West Coast would do well to move out of mining and shift into tourism and that a conservation land ban would encourage this. But a shift out of mining would hurt regional economies because of the sector’s high productivity and high wages relative to other industries. And it is going to take a long time for tourism to recover, if ever, after the lockdowns and closures New Zealand has endured in the past few years.
Eight reasons a ban makes no sense
- Not all conservation land has high conservation value
- Existing world-class environmental safeguards mean a ban is not necessary
- Minerals are essential to the way we live and are a crucial part of the low carbon future
- A ban would lead to damaging unintended consequences
- Just 0.04% of conservation land is mined
- Modern mining practices ensure good environmental outcomes
- Mining creates well-paid jobs and is important to the New Zealand economy
- Banning mining on conservation land is not the instrument to curb emissions
