Cosgrove Clayton: Crown Minerals Amendment Bill — Second Reading 
Cosgrove Clayton: Crown Minerals Amendment Bill — Second Reading 
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CLAYTON COSGROVE (NZ Labour—Waimakariri) 
: 
 I stand to support this bill as one who worked in a previous lifetime for what is still New Zealand’s largest gold mining company that of Macrae’s Mining Co. GRD Macraes. It has had various forms over a number of years. 
Hon Ken Shirley 
: You had better get ready to go back. 
CLAYTON COSGROVE 
: That is rich coming from a 4 percenter who lost his seat. Instead of a lot of hot air and— 
Jill Pettis 
: Talk about digging. 
CLAYTON COSGROVE 
: —digging his own grave—instead of some of the dramatic extracts we have heard from Opposition members I think it is pertinent to look at this bill for what it is. The Crown Minerals Act provides for the allocation and management of permits for Crown-owned minerals and the Crown Minerals Amendment Bill makes a number of amendments that in my view will improve the management and allocation of rights to Crown-owned minerals. 
We should make the point in this debate that the mining industry makes a huge contribution to this economy. When I worked in the industry some years ago I think the figures showed that gold alone was worth quite a bit more than our wine industry for instance. But because it is a reasonably controversial industry because it involves digging large holes in the ground and because it raises the hackles of some the economic and social contribution that it makes around the country is often lost. For instance GRD Macraes has operations on the West Coast and Otago and I would say that in its lifetime it has put several hundreds of millions of dollars into Dunedin and the Otago community alone both directly and indirectly. So as we go through this bill I think it is worth our noting the huge contribution that the industry makes. 
The bill will address issues that have arisen as has been previously mentioned as a result of a recent High Court decision concerning the transition from the previous regime under the Mining Act 1971 and the Coal Mines Act 1979 to the Crown Minerals Act 1991 regime. Effectively this bill removes the right of licensees to extend or renew their mining licences under the now repealed Mining Act and Coal Mines Act. It also clarifies the requirements for extension of the duration of an exploration permit providing that a permit remains current while an extension of its duration is being processed. I think the key point despite the bluff and bluster of some members opposite that should be reiterated is that the proposed amendments will not in any way be retrospective and therefore any mining licence or variation applications received before the amendment is made must be accepted and processed. 
The National and ACT parties have put a minority view. I acknowledge Dr Lockwood Smith’s view. I did not sit on the select committee that examined this bill but I do know the industry relatively well. As I say the industry makes a huge contribution to our economy. This bill will help I think to shed some light and some clarity on the permitting regime. What I learnt from my years in the mining industry is that one of the biggest battles the industry has is getting variations on permits. I mean no disrespect to our friends in Crown Minerals but one has to jump through huge bureaucracies to dig a hole in the ground extract a mineral and process it. I believe that this bill will add some clarity. I think there are a few others in this House who have worked in the industry such as Damien O’Connor who comes from the heartland of mining the West Coast. I ask members opposite and others to look closely at this bill to do away with the hot air and the dramatic extracts and actually to go through the bill and make their points. The proposed amendments will not be retrospective; therefore any mining-licence or variation applications received before the amendment is made must be accepted and processed. 
I support the bill. As I close I say again that the industry provides an immense number of jobs and dollars for the economy. It is considered by some to be a messy industry and a controversial industry and I know that some in this House are bitterly opposed to it. I am not one of those members. I am one of those members who think we can have a robust minerals industry— 
Hon Ken Shirley 
: Tell that to the Minister of Conservation. 
CLAYTON COSGROVE 
: —that is not exploitative of our environment. We can have business and can preserve the environment as long as there are tight rules. The genius to my right will tell us in his speech the secret to his 4 percent success rate. That member said: “Tell that to the Minister of Conservation.” Well I believe that we can have a robust mining industry but I also believe that we have to have very very tight environmental laws and a very very tight environmental framework so that if the industry breaks the rules the industry gets nailed. As with any industry—manufacturing farming or any industry around this country—it must adhere to the rules. I am proud to have been associated with a company that I believe does adhere to the rules a company that has taken a quite unique and flexible view to mining that has engaged with stakeholders right around the country that has attempted just to get on with the job and that makes a huge contribution to this country but does not blow its own trumpet. That attitude should be acknowledged. I commend the bill to the House.