The first salvos have been fired over proposed changes to the Crown Minerals Act, key legislation covering access to conservation land and the seabed by mining and oil and gas exploration companies.
In responses to Minister of Energy and Resources Phil Heatley releasing the initial discussion paper earlier this week, the Green Party said the Government was proposing changes to accelerate a "backward-looking economic strategy", and highlighted concerns more conservation land could be thrown open to mining.
The Petroleum Exploration and Production Association welcomed the discussion paper's release, highlighting the potential economic benefits of deep-water oil and gas exploration.
Association chief executive David Robinson said there was a new requirement for offshore oil and gas block tenderers to disclose their health and safety history, technical capability, financial ability and environmental track record.
"The [offshore] industry has an excellent health and safety track record and has the potential to grow significantly without compromising safety or the environment under the right regulatory regime," Mr Robinson said in a statement.
"There is an argument to be made that deepwater exploration will take longer to do, and that the legislation needs to reflect that fact by increasing permit durations in frontier acreage."
Mr Heatley said energy and mineral resources were major export earners for New Zealand and had "huge potential" to contribute even more to the economy.
"This review of the regulatory regime for Crown minerals is a key part of the Government's work to ensure that we have legislation that allows these important industries to grow while responsibly managing health, safety and environmental matters," Mr Heatley said in a statement.
The Green Party's spokespeople for offshore mining and energy and onshore, Gareth Hughes and Catherine Delahunty respectively, said the Government was "deeply in denial" over climate change and the opportunity to have a clean, green economy.
"We need to move away from mining and drilling and towards building our renewable energy capacity," Mr Hughes said in a statement.
Changes to the Crown Minerals Act would clarify how companies could exploit risky, unconventional oil and gas resources such as methane hydrates and coal seam gas.
Ms Delahunty said the review, which is to encourage further development of New Zealand's minerals, would just add to the growing pressure on conservation land.
"The public is clearly against mining on conservation land, but the National Government is ignoring public opinion by allowing proposals such as the Bathurst Resources coal mine on the Denniston Plateau and Newmont's gold mining on the Coromandel," she said.
Submissions close on April 20 and an amendment bill is expected to go to Parliament later in the year.
Also likely to be sought in the year ahead are amendments to the Resource Management Act and Conservation Act, which will have direct impacts on mining and conservation issues.
