Somewhere in the wilderness that has never been troubled by my walking boots is the Dunstan Mountains. Until I began the research for this column, I’d never heard of this aspect of our geographical heritage and, well, I’d have been happy if that remained the case.
However, this obscure and untrampled slice of Kiwi Paradise is getting attention because multi-millionaire actor, vintner and local activist, Sir Nigel (Sam) Neill, is upset that someone wants to mine these hills for gold.
As Neill told the Otago Daily Times last August, “I have one venue that’s relatively close to that and so that concerns me and concerns a lot of people.”
Santana Minerals chief executive Damian Spring (white hat)
at the site of a planned gold mine at Bendigo, Central Otago.
Photo: Supplied
The beloved Kiwi actor maintains that he is worried that the project is being fast-tracked “If it’s legitimate and there’s no harm done, then fine, but fast-tracking is worrying me.”
He has become more definitive since, explaining to the Guardian, Britain’s up-market version of The Spinoff, “I’m not against mining. I’m against this mine.”
Actually, the Guardian article is balanced, quoting locals who want the mine to proceed and explaining that past gold mining has left minimal environmental scars.
Neill has made a video explaining that this is “gold mining on an industrial scale”, which is true, and that if the mine goes ahead “Central Otago will completely change…”, which is, at best, contestable. Central Otago is a big place. He is also worried about the happiness of the frogs.
This proposed operation will have four open-cut excavations no more than 1km wide, spread over 550 hectares in a part of the country so remote the closest town is Cromwell, a town founded by gold panners, 20km away.
So… how badly will this mine scar the earth?
If you happen to be driving down some of the adjacent roads, stop your car, and squint you may see some dirt where, prior to the mines’ operation, there would have been shrubland.
Once the gold has been wrought from the earth the land must be reinstated and this mild discoloration will gradually dissipate.
The beloved Kiwi actor maintains that he is worried that the project is being fast-tracked “If it’s legitimate and there’s no harm done, then fine, but fast-tracking is worrying me.”
He has become more definitive since, explaining to the Guardian, Britain’s up-market version of The Spinoff, “I’m not against mining. I’m against this mine.”
Actually, the Guardian article is balanced, quoting locals who want the mine to proceed and explaining that past gold mining has left minimal environmental scars.
Neill has made a video explaining that this is “gold mining on an industrial scale”, which is true, and that if the mine goes ahead “Central Otago will completely change…”, which is, at best, contestable. Central Otago is a big place. He is also worried about the happiness of the frogs.
This proposed operation will have four open-cut excavations no more than 1km wide, spread over 550 hectares in a part of the country so remote the closest town is Cromwell, a town founded by gold panners, 20km away.
So… how badly will this mine scar the earth?
If you happen to be driving down some of the adjacent roads, stop your car, and squint you may see some dirt where, prior to the mines’ operation, there would have been shrubland.
Once the gold has been wrought from the earth the land must be reinstated and this mild discoloration will gradually dissipate.
. Photo: Supplied
What about the economics, I hear you ask. Excellent question. There will be, according to a report commissioned by the proposed miner, 351 staff employed directly and another 250 jobs created indirectly.
The economic benefit to New Zealand is estimated at 5.8 billion with 1.8 billion being receipted to the Crown over the course of the project.
There is, I should disclose, the tailings dam. This is a large sludge reservoir that will dry out and remain for decades after the mining ends. It’s unpleasant. There have been overseas examples where these fail soon after construction, creating environmental havoc.
However, over 98% of tailing dams dry out, are grassed over, and turn into paddocks.
Lessons from past failings will result in fewer collapses. The reality is that the environmental risk of the tailings dam falls on the state; so precautions are warranted and need to be weighted against the benefits.
None of this is reason for us to listen to the wailings of millionaire hobby-farmers or academic environmentalists whose passion for retaining their undisturbed vista of pristine grasslands exceeds by an order of magnitude any empathy for their fellow man.
This seems odd because in 2023 Neill was demanding Pharmac increase funding for leukemia treatment. “It is so important that New Zealanders are able to access new, emerging and effective cancer treatments that are the standard of care in other parts of the world,” he told The Press.
Which is fine, Sir Sam, but where does the state get the money for such treatments when millionaire environmentalists use their fame to prevent the very economic activity that Aotearoa needs to pay for the cancer treatment?
'Mining is the winner of the day': Shane Jones taunts Sir Ian Taylor
I can anticipate the response; Sam’s winsome grin assuring us that mining damages our clean-green image and we will make up the balance with tourism.
Tourism? How many Scandinavian trampers will we need to seek out the Dunstan Mountains for the state to clip the ticket on 1.8 billion? We get less than four million tourists a year and about six visit the affected area.
Perhaps we need a wealth tax after all.
Life may find a way in the magical Garden of Eden inhabited by the super-wealthy of Hollywood, but in the real world purchasing expensive pharmaceutical products, paying school fees and saving for a modest retirement requires well-paying jobs and tax revenue........The full article is published HERE
Damien Grant is an Auckland business owner, a member of the Taxpayers’ Union and a regular opinion contributor for Stuff, writing from a libertarian perspective
What about the economics, I hear you ask. Excellent question. There will be, according to a report commissioned by the proposed miner, 351 staff employed directly and another 250 jobs created indirectly.
The economic benefit to New Zealand is estimated at 5.8 billion with 1.8 billion being receipted to the Crown over the course of the project.
There is, I should disclose, the tailings dam. This is a large sludge reservoir that will dry out and remain for decades after the mining ends. It’s unpleasant. There have been overseas examples where these fail soon after construction, creating environmental havoc.
However, over 98% of tailing dams dry out, are grassed over, and turn into paddocks.
Lessons from past failings will result in fewer collapses. The reality is that the environmental risk of the tailings dam falls on the state; so precautions are warranted and need to be weighted against the benefits.
None of this is reason for us to listen to the wailings of millionaire hobby-farmers or academic environmentalists whose passion for retaining their undisturbed vista of pristine grasslands exceeds by an order of magnitude any empathy for their fellow man.
This seems odd because in 2023 Neill was demanding Pharmac increase funding for leukemia treatment. “It is so important that New Zealanders are able to access new, emerging and effective cancer treatments that are the standard of care in other parts of the world,” he told The Press.
Which is fine, Sir Sam, but where does the state get the money for such treatments when millionaire environmentalists use their fame to prevent the very economic activity that Aotearoa needs to pay for the cancer treatment?
'Mining is the winner of the day': Shane Jones taunts Sir Ian Taylor
I can anticipate the response; Sam’s winsome grin assuring us that mining damages our clean-green image and we will make up the balance with tourism.
Tourism? How many Scandinavian trampers will we need to seek out the Dunstan Mountains for the state to clip the ticket on 1.8 billion? We get less than four million tourists a year and about six visit the affected area.
Perhaps we need a wealth tax after all.
Life may find a way in the magical Garden of Eden inhabited by the super-wealthy of Hollywood, but in the real world purchasing expensive pharmaceutical products, paying school fees and saving for a modest retirement requires well-paying jobs and tax revenue........The full article is published HERE
Damien Grant is an Auckland business owner, a member of the Taxpayers’ Union and a regular opinion contributor for Stuff, writing from a libertarian perspective
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