Flavell Te Ururoa: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Flavell Te Ururoa: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:661;Page:9675] 
5. 
TE URUROA FLAVELL (Maori Party—Waiariki) 
 to the  
Minister of Energy and Resources 
: Me pehea te whakatau a te Kawanatanga i nga korero a te mema paremata a Nikki Kaye mo te maina i nga moutere o Great Barrier me te mea nei kaore i pai ki te taringa ara tana i ki ra “when environmental and economic factors are taken into account and given the island’s status in the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park”; a he aha te wahi kei a Ngati Rehua ki te whakatutuki whakataunga? 
[ 
How will the Government resolve the comments by Nikki Kaye MP about the plans to open up Great Barrier Island to mining reported as this does not stack up “when environmental and economic factors are taken into account and given the island’s status in the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park”; and what role will Ngati Rehua play in achieving any resolution? 
] 
Hon GERRY BROWNLEE (Minister of Energy and Resources) 
: 
 I have already talked to the Hon Tariana Turia and the Hon Pita Sharples the co-leaders of the Maori Party and assured them that I will personally be consulting Ngati Rehua in the course of the next few weeks as the discussion document is out for public consultation. They will of course have a great deal of influence on the Government’s final decision on the 705 hectares proposed for removal from schedule 4 on Great Barrier Island. 
Te Ururoa Flavell 
: He mana ano to nga iwi whanui ki te whakatau i nga mahi keri i roto i o ratou ake takiwa a he aha hoki tana kia noho orite nga wawata ki te tiaki i te taiao me nga wawata ohanga? 
[ 
The public at large have a role in determining mining operations in their own regions; what assurance can he give in terms of keeping the balance desired between the preservation of the environment and the economy? 
] 
Hon GERRY BROWNLEE 
: I think the experience in New Zealand to date has been that where iwi are consulted on these matters they are very very attuned to where the balance point lies between the economic advantage the cultural value and the environmental value. I have given the undertaking to the Maori Party co-leaders that I will personally meet with Ngati Rehua to sort out their position. The Hon Chris Finlayson has agreed to accompany me on a formal visit to that part of New Zealand. 
Jacinda Ardern 
: Has the Minister received any representations from the member for Auckland Central regarding the proposed mining in the Coromandel? 
Hon GERRY BROWNLEE 
: I have had extensive discussions with the member for Auckland Central and the result of those is clear for everyone to see. 
Jacinda Ardern 
: Can the Minister confirm that the removal of national parks or any other conservation land from schedule 4 will not require a legislative change and therefore any grandstanding by National MPs will go untested in this House. 
Hon GERRY BROWNLEE 
: The only grandstanding that is going on in this House is coming from the other side of the House. I well remember the Labour Party at the start of last year going back to its roots in Blackball on the West Coast—a mining town—and celebrating the fact that its party was born out of the mining industry. So those members should not tell us that there is any grandstanding going on on this side of the House. 
Te Ururoa Flavell 
: E ai ki te mea o Murihiku a Frana Cardno ko Rakiura tetahi o nga tino wahi whakaharahara whakamutunga o te ao; no reira he tika ta te Minita kowhiri ki te keri i te moutere o Rakiura; a ka pehea ra te huna i nga mahi keri e korerohia nei kia kore e takakinotia te wariu o Rakiura National Park hei wahi tapoi hei wahi tiaki taiao hoki? 
[ 
According to the mayor of Southland District Frana Cardno Stewart Island is one of the last paradises left in the world; so has the Minister got it right in choosing to carry out mining operations in Stewart Island and how will the mining be disguised so that it does not detract from the value of Rakiura National Park being a place for tourism where the environment is protected? 
] 
Hon GERRY BROWNLEE 
: First there is no proposal to mine in Rakiura National Park. There is a clear commitment to do some aerial magnetic surveying to see exactly what might be there. The information that we have is that there are significant deposits of rare-earth elements in that part of the country. The geology tells us that. It may or may not be true so an aerial magnetic survey will tell us that. It will take a long time. As the Prime Minister said the last time that was done was in the early 1980s. Clearly there would be a lot of discussion before there was any activity like mining activity on Rakiura.