The Green Party is celebrating a Court of Appeal decision to protect public land in the Wharekirauponga Forest from being 'gifted' to mining companies.
"This Court of Appeal decision upholds the principle that public land belongs to New Zealanders and our wildlife," says Green Party Co-leader Marama Davidson.
The decision relates to the Waihi North extension of OceanaGold's Waihi mine.
"There is no way this beautiful piece of native forest, or any publicly owned land, should be turned over to an Australian mining company for the benefit of their profit margins and shareholders."
"Mining leaves the burden of the environmental destruction on locals and future generations of regular people, but the benefits are largely restricted to the off-shore deep-pocketed big corporates."
"This decision must be heard as a staunch warning to mining companies and others who are eyeing up our native forests for their own profit. They will not succeed."
"Our forests belong to all of us, they belong to nature, and New Zealanders will fight for them now, and forever. Toitū te whenua, toitū te tangata".
The Green Party congratulate environmental group Ours Not Mines on this important win.
