Sand mining decision looms

KEN RAYWARD

Save Our Sands (SOS)

3 Oct, 2022

The panel of commissioners hearing the two sand mining resource consent applications from McCallum Brothers have only now been in a position to formally close the hearing and set a date for the decision announcement.

The reason for this delay was due to McCallum’s, on the last day of the hearing procedures, introducing a raft of new conditions for the two consents to be operated under.

This action identified that McCallum’s had no confidence that their own applications included strong enough content able to negate the opposing parties submissions, from environmental, cultural, and historic breaches of consent rules.

The option to further extend the hearing process, calling back expert coastal process witnesses, was provided to opposing parties. This was unanimously rejected by the main consent opponents Mangawhai Harbour Restoration Society, Friends Of Pakiri Beach, Te Whanau O Pakiri and NZ Endangered Species who strongly recommended the hearing be completed, and the commissioners considerations be based only on the information presented under the original consent applications.

It was also acknowledged that these delaying tactics by McCallum were to enable the inevitable follow-on hearings being referred to the Environment Court, and for these to be heard separately.

The commissioners and opposing submitters have signalled the benefits of further Environment Court hearings would best be conducted with all three consent applications being heard simultaneously, if for no other reason than the full cumulative effects of McCallum’s three applications can be considered.

From here, the commissioners will announce their decision on these two consents on November 10. It is expected that a referral to the Environment Court will follow, with hopefully all three applications being considered, around March 2023.

The really sad and bad news is that, due to a very poorly thought through law, McCallum can keep on mining, even in the near shore area, as long as legal deliberations are underway. This consent lapsed in September 2020 but they continue to operate.

This week they have had two dredges operating at night, taking as much sand as they can, for as long as they can, with no consideration for coastal eco-systems which are already identified as fragile and sick.

With a history of coastal environmental abuse, multiple consent breaches creating further damage to our beaches and surrounding bird and sea life, taking their case to the Environment Court is a decision McCallum Brothers may well regret.

Te Arai Beach dune erosion. Sand mining is drastically affecting the local coastline. PHOTO/JULIA WADE