Unite to protect Gold Dredging Rights being eroded

The Otago Regional Council (ORC) are in the process of developing their Regional Water & Land Plan. At this stage, it is proposed to remove the current permitted activity status concerning suction dredging in Otago. Suction dredging is presently allowed in Otago, a status that has remained unchanged for over three decades. Back in the 1990s, miners vigorously lobbied for and achieved this permitted activity status, which permits dredging without the burdensome requirement of securing an expensive resource consent.

Otago has previously served as a benchmark for the rest of the country when it comes to dredging regulations. If this permitted activity status is lost, it will unquestionably complicate matters for everyone, and quite probably set a precedent for other parts of NZ to follow suit. Maintaining the present status quo will keep matters more straightforward for miners across the board.

We have secured an RMA planning consultant with a mining background who has graciously offered to dedicate his time and expertise to draft our submission, prepare planning evidence and present at the hearings in mid-2024. However, to build a robust case, we do require some financial support beyond our expertise. We have also secured the services of an RMA lawyer and freshwater ecologist who is well-versed in mining matters, and is actively involved in other mining resource consent processes.

Thank you,

Chris & Dan