On 24 September 2024, Greenpeace activists took over the Wellington offices of the mining lobby group Straterra.
Straterra is a group that represents the mining industry in New Zealand. Its members include mining companies and well-known organisations such as Deloitte and Beca. Straterra runs campaigns to persuade the public about mining and tries to influence the government to help miners. Straterra lobbies on behalf of wannabe seabed miners Trans-Tasman Resources.
Straterra wants mining everywhere in New Zealand
Straterra is pushing for several mining projects across New Zealand. It even wants to mine in conservation areas, which are meant to protect nature. A diagram from Straterra’s 2023 annual report shows it has plans to mine in many places, with virtually no area being off-limits.
Straterra is trying to make it easier for the mining industry to access important conservation land, and it wants as little of it protected as possible.
Straterra has also said it wants to remove protections for freshwater areas that currently stop mining near natural wetlands. This is concerning because New Zealand has already lost about 90% of its original wetlands.
Additionally, Straterra is trying to reduce limits on coal mining, even though burning coal has to stop to keep our planet healthy.
Straterra supports the Fast Track Approvals Bill
Straterra has openly backed the Luxon government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill. In August 2024, CEO Josie Vidal talked to different media about the changes to this bill, putting Straterra at odds with environmental groups and others who oppose it.
Straterra represents Trans-Tasman Resources, which wants to mine in the South Taranaki Bight using the Fast Track process. This is despite TTR losing in court several times and facing strong opposition from local iwi and hāpu, environmentalists, boaties, and the fishing industry.
Seabed mining is a new threat to the oceans. Now is our chance to prevent the destruction before it’s too late.
Add my nameStraterra and critical minerals
Straterra and Trans-Tasman Resources say that mining the seabed for minerals like vanadium is important for moving to cleaner and renewable energy.
However, big companies like Samsung, Volvo, BMW, and Google believe that seabed mining isn’t necessary. They are part of a group of international companies that have called for a pause on deep-sea mining. They think we should focus on recycling and reusing materials we already have instead of starting a new harmful industry.
