ministers, understand the nature of the high value coking coal...

ministers, understand the nature of the high value coking coal on the Denniston Plateau; as the below article shows where an unthinking Labour minister was bought into line by The Machine

From the Westport "The News"

MP’s comments‘body blow’ to Coast

By Keira Stephenson

West Coast-Tasman MP Chris
Auchinvole is challenging Labour to
come clean with the West Coast on its
mining policy.
He was responding to front bench
Labour MP Maryan Street’s comments
opposing mining on the Denniston
Plateau and supporting a moratorium
on fossil fuel extraction.
Mr Auchinvole said Ms Street had let
the cat out of the bag. Labour would
shut down the West Coast’s coal mining
industry costing hundreds of jobs
– “just like they shut down our forest
industry when last in Government”, he said.
Ms Street made her comments at a public climate
change debate in Nelson in September that was
filmed for Youtube.
When asked if she supported a moratorium on
new fossil fuel extraction in New Zealand, Ms Street
replied: “I think we have to consider that. We are
very opposed to the mining of lignite in Southland.
“I am opposed to the proposals for the Denniston
Plateau. That is something that doesn’t need
to happen. We need to be more imaginative than
digging up what’s underneath us. We need to be
more imaginative at looking at the resources that
surround us that are renewable and I think a moratorium
is a very good idea.”
In the video, Ms Street said Labour would want
to have moved to 100 percent renewable energy by
2040 and “ween ourselves off fossil fuels”.
It wouldn’t happen overnight but the party’s energy
policy included research and development into
alternative sources such as bio-fuels, hydro, and
wind, she said.
Mr Auchinvole said Ms Street’s statements on the
Denniston Plateau were a “body blow for the West
Coast”.
The recently approved Bathurst Resources’ Denniston
mining proposal, (now being appealed in the
Environment Court) would create 424
new jobs in the next three years. This
was the best prospect for jobs and
economic development for the West
Coast, said Mr Auchinvole.
“This announcement by Labour
is particularly insulting after the job
losses from the Pike River Mine disaster.
The West Coast needs the jobs
and economic development opportunities
from this Denniston Plateau coal
mine.
“The West Coast just cannot trust
Labour on resource policies. They
should have had the courage to tell the
Buller people directly that they would
block this mine rather than announce it to an urban
green audience in Nelson.
“It is just another sign that Labour has abandoned
its West Coast roots,” said Mr Auchinvole.
O’Connor responds
Coast-based Labour List MP Damien O’Connor
said all MPs were entitled to their own personal
opinions, but Labour policy clearly stated its support
for further mining on the West Coast.
“Labour has developed more mines in its time in
Government than National did during the whole of
the 1990s,” said Mr O’Connor.
“Ms Street may have a personal opinion, but it
is not Labour Party policy and I think this is a desperate
attempt by the National member to twist the
truth.”
Labour was focussed on developing more renewable
energy sources, but New Zealand relied on
coal and gas for a substantial part of its electricity
generation and that wouldn’t change in the near future.
The vast majority of coal mined on the West
Coast was for coking and high value purposes and
the policy was very clear that Labour continued to
support mining.
He had not discussed Ms Street’s views with her.


Of course with Gaffes like Ms Streets and the lurking Greens I do hope the polls are right and the Nationals are alected Back into office.

Viney