A big year ahead
Election day is 7 November 2026, and a lot of water to go under the bridge before then, with no certainty as to the political outcome, as the fuel crisis continues, and with fast-track applications running their course.
Minerals West Coast has the opportunity to advocate to the government for better energy policy – optionality is the key – and to provide a West Coast perspective as the RMA reforms continue.
Confirmation of trustees
At a meeting of trustees on 2 March 2026 at the Ashley Hotel in Greymouth, Minerals West Coast confirmed the following as trustees: Brett Cummings, Geoff Jacobs, Glenys Perkins, John Crawley, Lincoln Smith, Peter Haddock, Peter O’Sullivan, Ross (Rosco) Moore, Pat Cooper, Richard Tacon.
We are busy updating the trustee profiles on the website: Staff & Trustees – Minerals West Coast
Refreshment of MWC objectives
Peter O has been leading the refreshment of Minerals West Coast’s objectives, following Patrick Phelps’s moving on from the manager role. The draft list is, under the heading of “A strong voice for the West Coast minerals industry”:
- Advocate for responsible access to mineral resources
- Promote health and safety best practice
- Encourage environmental stewardship
- Support education, training and employment
- Promote the West Coast’s mineral potential
- Represent the industry in policy and planning discussions
Membership drive in progress
Trustees are due shortly to finalise the fees for membership for FY27. We will advise the revised fees when finalised.
Save the date for the MWC forum 2026
Shantytown, 15 October. A one-day forum programme followed by dinner. Thanks to Peter O for organising.
IOQ tour of Reefton
On 17-19 April, John C and Gary Payne ran an IOQ tour of mines and other sites of interest in Reefton. They included the Blacks Point museum where we saw a stamper battery in action, Echo mine, Reddale mine, Rua Gold’s office, the Waiuta heritage site (former Blackwater mine), Rosco’s equipment yard and collection of classic cars, Bell Hill alluvial gold mine, ending with morning tea at Glenys’s Bell Hill Retreat. All in all, a very enjoyable and interesting trip.
John Crawley leads the standing order of a mid-morning Jumping Goat liqueur at Rosco’s yard in Reefton
Likely timelines for continued resource management reform
RM Reform Minister Chris Bishop provided the following timings and process steps in early April:
July 2026 – non-statutory consultation document on national direction under the Natural Environment Bill, and the Planning Bill
August 2026 – passing of the NEB and the PB into law
Q1 2027 – formal consultation on national direction under the new legislation
Regional councils to then start regional spatial planning
MfE (now part of MCERT) to develop national standards
Housekeeping
To note that the info@mineralswestcoast.org.nz email address is monitored daily, and we have Bernie Napp of Prospect Consulting in a caretaker role to support the trustees, pending decisions on the future resourcing of Minerals West Coast.