Impact On People: In expanding coal mining on
the West Coast by taking over Solid Energy’s Stockton mine (and two more
in Waikato), as well as the planned Denniston mine, Bathurst claims to be
acting in the best interests of West Coasters, whereas in effect they are
taking Coasters down the eventual dead end development of a polluting industry.
It’s also hardly people-centred to be in partnership with Talley’s, reportedly NZ’sworst employer”.
Impact On the Environment: As Coal Action Network
& Forest & Bird have pointed out, Bathurst is already putting
fragile and unique ecosystems at risk through planned open cast escarpment
mining on the Denniston Plateau. In addition to adding to environmental
pollution by taking over Solid Energy’s Stockton mine, Bathurst plans to apply
to mine in an adjacent conservation estate and has been assured by the Crown
that ‘Environmental Indemnity Funding’ is available to Bathurst as it was to
Solid Energy to enable local authorities to ‘cap any environmental claims at
the indemnity level’ (Press, 1/11/16)”.
Political
Interference/Influence: The above reference to ‘Environmental Indemnity Funding’ indicates that
intense pressure was brought on the Crown to extend the most favourable terms
possible when negotiating the sale of the insolvent Solid Energy mines to
Bathurst. The Government was prepared to do this despite widespread concern
that it was abrogating its’ commitment to the Paris Climate Change Accord. The
partnership with Talley’s will require Overseas Investment Office approval as
Bathurst is a Singaporean and Australian-owned company, but such an approval is
a foregone conclusion”.
Economic Dominance: ‘We will not be compromised,
nor will we be hidden’ boasted Bathurst Chief Executive Officer, Hamish
Bohannan, back in March 2012 at the opening of its’ new corporate offices in
Wellington, an event attended also by PM John Key and other MPs. Now with the
acquisition of Solid Energy’s Stockton mine, Bathurst will surely become the
economic Caesar of the West Coast, subordinating all to their whims and
manipulations and in particular taking Westport down a one-way no-exit street
of economic non-sustainability and eventual demise. Changing the listing of the
company’s shares from the NZ to Australian Stock Exchange also enables Bathurst
to be a little more non-transparent to NZ investors and commentators”.
.
