The Grey District mayor says protesters trying to interrupt work at a West Coast coal mine should "bugger off" and go back to where they came from.
The mining company Bathurst Resources was seeking fast-track approval to extend its Stockton mine and extract 20-million tonnes of coal from the Denniston and Stockton Plateaux over the next 25 years.
Police said seven people had been charged with trespass.
One person was arrested and six others were summoned to appear in court.
A small number of protesters were still at the mine site on Tuesday morning.
Climate Liberation Aotearoa said four activists remained suspended in coal cable cars, having been there for more than 30 hours.
One of them, Adam Currie, said activists were willing to do what it took to get the mine shut down.
"We're drawing attention to the company's plans to expand coal mining across the nearby Denniston Plateau. It's a pristine environment with species found nowhere else," he said.
"We've been here for two sunrises now because this mine is a line in the sand."
Grey District Mayor Tania Gibson had strong words for the protesters: "Bugger off and go back to where you came from," she said.
"People do have the right to protest but what they're doing is a health and safety risk. It's affecting people's working days and the company, what they need to produce, it's just plain stupidity and grandstanding.
"[The West Coast] still has 85 percent Department of Conservation land, and the land that does get mined gets done sustainability with very strict rehabilitation in place."
Gibson said the fast-tracking process was good for the region.
"We've got about 1200 new jobs from some of the initiatives that are being looked at on the coast at the moment. But they still have to go through consents and very strict regulations to get to that point so they have environmental initiatives, they do rehabilitation, pest control."
Protesters putting people at risk, says Jones
Resources Minister Shane Jones said the protesters were putting themselves and others at risk.
"I cannot fathom the mentality of these blow-ins from other parts of the country to think that they have a right to speak for the hundreds of people who derive their living from mining," he said.
"Mining brings in millions of dollars in royalties, and in wages and spending on infrastructure, plant and supplies. It is an industry with a proud history on the West Coast. It is incredibly insulting to the people of the West Cost who rely on this industry for a few protesters from outside the region to fossil-fuel their way, presumably, to the West Coast to vilify those people.
"Businesses have a legal right, under a law passed by the New Zealand Parliament, to apply for fast-track approval. I'm confident in its robustness to ensure guard rails are in place for projects to ensure they comply with our environmental and conservation laws. These protesters should too."
On Monday, the mining company Bathurst said it was concerned for the trespassers' health and safety.
"On Easter Sunday, Bathurst became aware of issue-motivated persons trespassing the Escarpment mine site, which is located on the Denniston Plateau, West Coast region. We have also learned [on Monday] morning of unauthorised access to the nearby Stockton mine infrastructure at Ngakawau," the company said.
"Bathurst representatives have formally trespassed these individuals and will continue working with New Zealand Police on the next steps to secure the health and safety of the trespassers as soon as possible."
