Transcript
Makatea is an island already ravaged by phosphate mining, which stripped it of millions of tons of sand in the first half of the 20th century.
Where once more than 3,000 people lived there are now barely 50 and the island's now riddled with more than one million holes from the mining.
Now, two opposing sides want to rehabilitate Makatea.
One, a mining company Avenir Makatea; the other, environmental groups pushing for eco-tourism.
It's a stand off Avenir Makatea director Colin Randall says has been caused by misunderstandings.
"This will also create employment, but more importantly for the land owners of Makatea you'll end up with a sustainable development and they can decide what they want to do with their land."
Avenir Makatea wants to extract 6 and a half million tonnes of phosphate over 27 years from old mining areas on the island.
The company presented its plans to a mining and minerals regional conference held in Auckland last week.
The company's pitch shows they would sell under the Moana Phosphate brand, which has been certified organic for importation into US and Canadian markets.
Colin Randall says he has spoken to the 105 families who own land on Makatea, most of whom he claims are in support of the mining plans.
He says 50 percent of Avenir Makatea's profits will go to the government and landowners, who will also be given a rental property and royalties.
"More importantly, for Polynesians the land is central to their being so this enables many of them to actually come home, and we've had people say that, landowners who want to go back to Makatea."
Mr Randall says he's been given an assurance by French Polynesian President Édouard Fritch that a new mining code will be ready on April the 17th.
It's unclear how the laws will regulate phosphate mining but Mr Randall is hopeful they will allow him to push ahead.
A government spokesperson declined to comment.
Sabrina Birk, a member of two associations opposing Avenir Makatea's mining plans, says the mining shouldn't be allowed to go ahead.
"They know, it will destroy, it will bring dust, phosphate dust can be very toxic and dangerous, it will bring noise which will scare all the birds and everything."
Ms Birk wants Makatea to be turned in an eco-tourism sanctuary to raise funds for rehabilitation and she isn't alone in her opposition to mining.
An online petition against Avenir Makatea's plans has been signed by more than 230,000 people over the past two years.
Ms Birk says this sentiment is shared by most landowners, who she says have bad memories of mining by another company on Makatea.
"Back then, their lands were expropriated, they had nowhere to stay, their lands were taken from them and used by this mining company and they were just given pennies, nothing for the destruction of their homeland."
Colin Randall says if favourable mining laws go through, he will hold public consultations and won't go ahead without broad support, including from landowners.
But his company's plans to rehabilitate the island are already sowing mistrust among opponents.
Mr Randall says Avenir Makatea's old surveying equipment has been donated to locals to set up climbing for tourists.
But according to Sabrina Birk, locals contest this, claiming the company never helped out.
This is Mackenzie Smith.