Greenpeace urges total ban on seabed mining after court win

Greenpeace wants seabed mining stopped altogether after a company's bid to mine ironsands off the coast of South Taranaki was thrown out. Trans-Tasman Resources had earlier won approval from the Environmental Protection Authority to dig up 50 million tonnes of sand each year. But iwi, fishing and environmental groups challenged that in the High Court and Justice Churchman has now overturned it, saying the authority applied an incorrect legal test. Greenpeace chief executive Russel Norman, told RNZ reporter Tom Furley that it is a fantastic decision.