Thousands protest against mining in New Zealand

WELLINGTON - An estimated 50,000 people marched through central Auckland Saturday in a mass protest against the government’s proposal to open up some national parks for mining minerals.

Conservationists claim the move would ruin the “100-per-cent Pure” slogan New Zealand uses to promote its scenery and foodstuffs in advertisements to tourists and consumers around the world.

Prime Minister John Key said earlier this month that large undeveloped mineral resources underground should be tapped to lift the country’s struggling economy out of recession.

Proposals to mine prime conservation land include the 285-square-km Great Barrier Island, off Auckland, and the scenic Coromandel Peninsula.

Although Key said the plan involved only 0.2 per cent of the highest priority conservation land, environmental organisations said it was just the start of a mining attack on New Zealand’s countryside that attracts nearly 2.5 million foreign tourists a year.

The proposal has already attracted 14,000 letters of protest.

“Our land will always be more important to our identity than some extra dollars in the pockets of mining companies,” local actor and parade leader Robyn Malcolm said.

Energy Minister Gerry Brownlee said the government knew it was a contentious issue but claimed the country was divided 50-50 on the proposal, which he said was needed to drive a flagging economy.