Prime Minister Christopher Luxon tightlipped after fast-track panel rejects minerals mining plan

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon spoke with Mike Hosking.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has addressed criticism of the fast-track panel declining a bid for seabed mining, saying the approvals process was not a “rubber stamp”.

Last week the panel declined a plan to mine the Taranaki seabed for rare earths.

Trans-Tasman Resources had proposed to extract 50 million tonnes of seabed each year for 30 years to mine vanadium, which it claimed would contribute $1 billion to the local economy each year.

But the panel’s preliminary decision said the project would bring a credible risk of harm to marine life and the surrounding environment.

Speaking to Newstalk ZB’s Mike Hosking, Luxon said he could not comment on the decision to decline Trans-Tasman Resources’ application as it was still a draft, but said the Government was not “anti-mining”. Three or four mining projects had been approved under the fast-track process and minerals were crucial for things like EVs, solar panels and semi-conductors.

“We want to explore critical minerals…but the way that we unlock it, the way we develop it - it’s really important that we do it in our national interest.”

Minerals Council chief executive Josie Vidal told Hosking this morning the decision was “a little bit embarrassing”, given New Zealand officials were in the United States touting New Zealand’s place in the global mineral supply chain.

Luxon also acknowledged the Government wanted unemployment figures to be lower and he hoped to see them track down through the course of the year. But he was pleased to see a bounce back in the hospitality sector, which was a “leading indicator” that the economy was improving.

On the Government’s plan to ban social media for under-16s, Luxon said he was looking very closely at what Australia had been doing. He acknowledged their approach wasn’t perfect but “you’ve got to die trying” - protecting 70% of under-16s from the harms of social media was better than protecting none.

Luxon’s much-touted India free trade agreement is also facing scrutiny as NZ First continues to oppose the deal.

The FTA was one of Luxon’s campaign commitments before he was elected, but the content of the agreement – which has still not been released publicly – is disputed.

Plans are also being laid for India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi to visit New Zealand mid-year, just months before the NZ elections. Such a visit is likely to be considered a major coup for the Government.

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