Media Release

Te Runanga o Ngati Ruanui Trust is outraged by a decision to extend the hearing schedule into Trans Tasman Resources’ plan to vacuum millions of tonnes of iron sand from the South Taranaki seabed.

The hearing was supposed to finish on March 20, now that will be pushed back until May 31 so the EPA's decision-making committee can gather more robust information on the proposed operation and its effects.

It then has 20 days to make its decision.

The Trust along with the several fisheries organisations, including Talley’s Group Limited and Fisheries Inshore New Zealand, opposed the extension because it unreasonably added cost, time and effort to an application that was already seen as inadequate.

Our objections were considered but rejected.

Te Runanga o Ngati Ruanui Kaiarataki Debbie Ngarewa-Packer said there had been a clear one-sided advantage throughout the whole process.

Ngarewa-Packer said while there was room in the Exclusive Economic Zone and Continental Shelf Act to extend the hearing, the scales were tipped in the wrong direction.

And it appeared the DMC were trying to use our experts to fit a square peg in a round hole, she said.

“Trans Tasman Resources are set up to focus on one thing, while the hundreds who oppose this can only draw on a finite amount time and money.

“As it stands, TTR have failed to dispel any of the uncertainties brought up during the hearings to date.

“So why give them more time to address the numerous gaps in their own information.

“If it doesn’t stack up now the project should be rejected outright.”

This latest decision comes in the wake of numerous questionable acts by the EPA, including refusing to hold the hearings in the area that would be affected most, failing to release videos which were part of the previously redacted information and an Environment Court ruling several hundred pages were wrongly blanked out by the EPA.

Te Runanga o Ngati Ruanui chairman Haimona Maruera Jnr said it appeared the authority was doing everything it could to get the project over the line.

“Moving the goal posts to suit one side is shameful and highlights the unfortunate trend of playing games with our community’s future.

“This shambolic and often confusing process means we have lost all faith in the EPA and doubt it can uphold the fairness the authority should stand for.

“Our people have fought hard and fairly, yet the burden is again placed on us to exhaust further time, money and effort to protect our rights.”

End.

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