Delahunty Catherine: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Delahunty Catherine: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:678;Page:807] 
5. 
CATHERINE DELAHUNTY (Green) 
 to the  
Minister of Energy and Resources 
: Will the Review of New Zealand Minerals Royalty Rates ensure that royalties are paid on all mines in New Zealand? 
Hon PHIL HEATLEY (Minister of Energy and Resources) 
: 
 The review will make sure that the returns that apply to new permits for Crown-owned minerals will provide Kiwis with a fair financial return from the development of their minerals and will be internationally competitive. I expect that permits that have already been awarded will remain subject to the rates that applied to them when they were awarded. 
Catherine Delahunty 
: Just to clarify is he saying he will continue to allow our largest mine company OceanaGold to dig up over $300 million a year worth of Crown-owned gold from its Macraes Mine in Otago without paying any royalties? 
Hon PHIL HEATLEY 
: The original Macraes Mine now pays a royalty following the expiration of its old mining licence. 
Catherine Delahunty 
: Will he continue to allow mining company Newmont Waihi Gold to pay no royalties on New Zealand’s third-largest mining operation the Martha Hill mine? 
Hon PHIL HEATLEY 
: That zero-royalty rate was negotiated under the previous Labour Government in 1987. I have no idea what was going through its mind. 
Catherine Delahunty 
: Given that Newmont Waihi Gold has paid no royalties on its opencast mines since 1987 will the Government use the review to address this anomaly before the proposed Martha Hill mine expands and progresses? 
Hon PHIL HEATLEY 
: Should there be an expansion to the Martha Hill mine then there will be a renegotiation of royalty rates. In regard to the first part of the question she would have to ask the Labour Government of 1987. 
Catherine Delahunty 
: Will the review look at the extremely low level of clean-up bonds for our largest mines given their potential for huge environmental and economic damage? 
Hon PHIL HEATLEY 
: I expect that under the review of the Crown Minerals Act we will be looking at the environment health and safety requirements the royalty regime and other matters that will ensure severe improvement in the management of mines going forward. 
Catherine Delahunty 
: Does he agree that the tiny Tui Mine which is costing the country more than $16 million to clean up shows that bonds where they exist must be increased to cover all potential costs to the taxpayer? 
Hon PHIL HEATLEY 
: That is a matter that I wish to see discussed through the review of the Crown Minerals Act. We will take on board all sensible suggestions and I am sure we will go forward with them. 
Catherine Delahunty 
: Supplementary question—or have I run out? 
Mr SPEAKER 
: I believe the member has had five. 
Catherine Delahunty 
: I seek leave to table the 20 largest mines their bonds— 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Order! The Parliamentary Library is the source of this document? 
Catherine Delahunty 
: It is. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: I thank the member. And the document is? 
Catherine Delahunty 
: It is the largest mines in New Zealand currently operating and their royalties and bonds. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Leave is sought to table that document. Is there any objection? There is no objection. 









Document by leave laid on the Table of the House.