Many feeling the pain

From the Buller Council website and comments attributed to the mayor; An interesting read that sums up the feeling of many investors but also highlights some interesting points of discussion.

(Of course since this has been posted (on the council website) Bathurst has announced that it will prepare the mine site in preparation for a recovery in coking coal prices)

http://bullerdc.govt.nz/bathurst-resources-ltd-escarpment-mine-delays/

Bathurst Resources Ltd Escarpment Mine delays

Buller District Council’s Mayor Garry Howard is dismayed at today’s announcement.
“Today’s news that Bathurst will not be proceeding to open it’s Escarpment mine on the Denniston plateau as planned, is devastating for the Company and the Buller community. However we understand the position that the company has found itself in and accept that the long term future is better served by this delay.
It is a bitter pill to swallow.
Bathurst staff have been passionate people who have become involved in our community and we feel for them as they face this bad news and the consequential redundancies.
It is simply criminal to see a well intentioned regulatory process abused and manipulated by out of town extreme elements intent on frustrating legitimate and reasonable developments.
Concession after concession has been made but these appeasements never seemed to be enough. The delays continue and the legal costs have burned cash that should have been invested in infrastructure.
Today we are left with the consequences and another 29 people have lost their livelihoods.
What has happened to Bathurst must not be allowed to continue. Mining is one of this country’s biggest export earners and it is the single biggest contributor to the Buller economy.
Nobody is more passionate about our Buller environment than the local community because we live here. We see the reality that modern mining is environmentally sustainable and we welcome responsible miners such as Bathurst. We are running out of patience with the mis-representation and false propaganda used by those who have no stake in this community.
The Buller District Council will continue its efforts to ensure that the final approvals for the Escarpment mine are brought into being as soon as possible.
However we hold deep fears about the message that this debacle has sent to investors in our economy. We want to send a serious message to the Government. The existing process is not fit for purpose. There needs to be areas in New Zealand identified and designated to allow mining as a permitted activity, provided the appropriate environmental safeguards are in place. If that requires new legislation so be it.”