New Plymouth council draws line in sand over seabed mining

*This story has been corrected to show it is not ministers who appoint the members of expert panels, and to show the correct number of votes against.

New Plymouth District Council has drawn a line in the sand and voted to oppose seabed mining in the South Taranaki Bight, and in particular the Trans-Tasman Resources' proposal currently going through the Fast Track consenting process.

Councillor Amanda Clinton-Gohdes tabled a motion calling for the move and after three hours of deputations and debate her colleagues backed it overwhelmingly - with just three councillors voting against.

Trans-Tasman Resources managing chairman Allan Eggers said the vote was disappointing, but would not deter the company which would maintain its focus on the Fast Track process.

Clinton-Gohdes, meanwhile, was proud of the council's stand which was met with cheers from a packed public gallery.

"It was really important to our community and to me to bring this debate to council, so we could present the views of our community who were asking us to draw a clear line in the sand. I'm really proud of our council for doing the right thing.

"It's about representing our community and what they've asked us to do and that we do our up most to protect our environment for future generations."

Trans-Tasman Resources has approval to vacuum up 50 million tonnes of sand annually from the South Taranaki seabed for 35 years to extract iron, vanadium and titanium, but the company still needs consent to discharge 45 million tonnes of unwanted sediment a year back into the shallow waters.

The company has previously been thwarted through legal challenges right up to the Supreme Court and pulled out of an Environmental Protection Authority hearing in 2024 in favour of the Fast Track consenting process.

Last week, TTR managing chairman Allan Eggers made an hour-long presentation to a council workshop outlining the project's environmental and economic credentials.

Ahead of debate on the Clinton-Gohdes' motion, council heard deputations from groups opposed to seabed mining in the South Taranaki Bight.

Ngā iwi o Taranaki and Te Kotahitanga o Te Atiawa chair Liana Poutu told councillors TTR's claim it had engaged with iwi didn't stack up.

"Our reality is our engagement with them under this current application - under the Fast Track process - has been a letter.

"One letter that says 'we understand you are opposed. We are going to record your opposition in our application, but if you have anything else to add we look forward to hearing from you'. That's not engagement."

Representatives of environmental groups Project Reef, the Ngāmotu Marine Reserve Society and Protect Our Moana challenged Eggers' evidence that there was no significant marine life in the vicinity of TTR's proposed project.

Project Reef's Karen Pratt said for a decade it had collected data and shared images from reefs that extended offshore from Pātea and into Exclusive Economic Zone revealing the "stunningly beautiful and vibrant healthy life to be found on South Taranaki's offshore reefs".

Ngāmotu Marine Reserve Society representative Barbara Hammond told councillors that little blue penguins from the Marlborough Sounds swim up into the South Taranaki Bight, contrary to TTR's claim that the penguins stayed inshore.

Ngāti Runaui iwi member, Te Pāti Māori co-leader and long-time opponent of seabed mining, Debbie Ngarewa-Packer, also made a rare appearance in the council chamber.

She said it was important to be there.

"There's a sense of blocking, of not being heard, and some of these ministers that are choosing the [TTR] expert panel have been really outspoken in support of it [the project] so it's out of frustration you have to come back to your own local entities, your own local politicians."

However, ministers do not choose the members of expert panels under the Fast-Track Approvals Act.

The panel members are chosen by the panel convenor, in this case retired Environment Court Judge Jane Borthwick, and Associate Panel Convenors, Helen Atkins and Jennifer Caldwell.

During debate on the motion, councillor Bryan Vickery reflected the view of most councillors when he evoked the cult classic Australian film The Castle.

"It's about the vibe and the vibe is from a natural justice point of view - all eight iwi are opposed to it, the majority of Taranaki people from all walks of life are opposed to it and we have to - in my opinion - represent the dreams, values and aspirations of our community."

Councillors Murray Chong, Max Brough, and former mayor and former Labour MP for New Plymouth Harry Duynhoven voted against the motion.

Chong argued the Taranaki economy was shrinking and the province had to grasp all opportunities for growth, while Brough thought the motion went too far and precluded companies with better credentials than TTR coming to present seabed mining proposals.

"What if there was a mining company that came and did it properly and said 'look we've got all of this and we've got mitigation in place and we've done all of these steps everyone's been asking us to do' then we could give it a fair hearing, but that's not happening."

TTR managing chairman Allan Eggers said the vote was disappointing.

"Of course it concerns me. I think there's a lot of misinformation being spread by opponents of the project. They are certainly not relying on the facts - they're scaremongering and out there to discredit the company, the management of the company, and aren't really interested in the facts."

He stood by the evidence presented to council last week.

"As to credibility, all of our information has been provided to the Fast Track team and that information has been underpinned by independent expert reports on every aspect and well-tested. We can't see why our credibility would be questioned at all."

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Eggers said the vote wouldn't derail the project.

"We're focused on continuing with our Fast Track application and all our information is in front of the Fast Track panel, and it's available for anyone who wants to access it."

He was at a loss to explain why the NPDC would oppose TTR's application.

"That's a matter for the council. I'm not sure why they are even taking these votes, but that's up to them.

"Our project will not have any effect on New Plymouth - except a positive one in terms of jobs and significant economic stimulus and delivering some prosperity to the area."

Largely symbolic, the vote sees New Plymouth join Whanganui and South Taranaki district councils in formally opposing seabed mining.

Taranaki Regional Council, meanwhile, has retained a neutral stance, arguing to do otherwise might compromise its ability to appoint a representative to the expert panel which will decide TTR's consents application.

Clinton-Gohdes' motion also proposed that council formally request that the panel convened by the Environmental Protection Authority use its discretion to allow NPDC to make written comment on the Trans-Tasman Resources application in accordance the Fast Track Approvals Act; and that if the EPA approved the council's request to comment, NPDC officers draft and submit written comment.

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