Plans to expand the Waihi goldmine even further into the Waihi community shows the urgent need for the Government to support a new Green Party bill that protects communities from the destruction and damage of mining, the Green Party said today.
OceaniaGold will be expanding their explorations underneath Waihi and already have the resource consents to do so according to reports yesterday.
“People affected by the extension of mining in Waihi shouldn’t have their rights to live peacefully in their own homes literally undermined by a multinational company wanting to make even bigger profits,” said Green Party Coromandel based MP Catherine Delahunty.
“I plan to put a Members Bill in the ballot next week which would ban mining within 300 metres of residential property.
“I’ll be asking the Government to adopt my Bill to show that it backs the people of Waihi to live peacefully in their own homes.
“The people of East Waihi have already had a really tough time from goldmining and now their worst fears have been realised as the company expands into West Waihi.
“People in East Waihi feel trapped because they need to either sell up or live with the impacts of blasting and vibration under their houses. Now the other side of town is threatened.
“No homes can be assumed to be safe in Waihi from the impact of underground mining.
“Underground gold mining, such as what OceanaGold are planning for the whole of Waihi, shakes houses, destroys people’s mental health, and impacts on property values.
“Waihi is an economically vulnerable community, despite the millions of dollars of gold that have been mined from it. The Government should show it cares about the people of Waihi by backing my Bill,” Ms Delahunty said.
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