New Zealand’s Government is proposing changes to modernise the Crown Minerals Act 1991 to support more environmentally conscious management of resources. New Zealand’s Energy and Resource Minister Dr Megan Woods said “Requirements in the CMA for the Government to actively promote fossil fuel exploration are out of date. It’s time we changed our laws so that they are consistent with our climate change commitments to phase out polluting fossil fuels and transition to net zero by 2050Dr Woods said “The National Government added the legislative requirement to promote mining activities in 2013, but this is now out of step with the direction the world is going. The CMA sets out how the Government allocates rights to mine Crown owned minerals for New Zealand’s economic benefit. While this role won’t change, these amendments will bring the Act up to date, allow us to respond to the evolving needs of Aotearoa, and give the sector greater certainty about the future of minerals decision making. Fossil fuels will be phased out in a way that ensures energy remains secure, reliable, accessible, and affordable for all New Zealanders.”Dr Woods added “The Bill also proposes changes to strengthen engagement between permit holders, iwi and hapū to ensure Māori cultural interests in minerals and mining activities are understood and respected. The proposals mean the CMA would be amended to explicitly provide hapū and iwi opportunities to review and discuss annual iwi engagement reports, and to enable regulations to specify minimum content requirements for those reports.”
New Zealand’s Government is proposing changes to modernise the Crown Minerals Act 1991 to support more environmentally conscious management of resources. New Zealand’s Energy and Resource Minister Dr Megan Woods said “Requirements in the CMA for the Government to actively promote fossil fuel exploration are out of date. It’s time we changed our laws so that they are consistent with our climate change commitments to phase out polluting fossil fuels and transition to net zero by 2050Dr Woods said “The National Government added the legislative requirement to promote mining activities in 2013, but this is now out of step with the direction the world is going. The CMA sets out how the Government allocates rights to mine Crown owned minerals for New Zealand’s economic benefit. While this role won’t change, these amendments will bring the Act up to date, allow us to respond to the evolving needs of Aotearoa, and give the sector greater certainty about the future of minerals decision making. Fossil fuels will be phased out in a way that ensures energy remains secure, reliable, accessible, and affordable for all New Zealanders.”Dr Woods added “The Bill also proposes changes to strengthen engagement between permit holders, iwi and hapū to ensure Māori cultural interests in minerals and mining activities are understood and respected. The proposals mean the CMA would be amended to explicitly provide hapū and iwi opportunities to review and discuss annual iwi engagement reports, and to enable regulations to specify minimum content requirements for those reports.”
