Green Party co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick. Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone
Opposition parties are criticising the coalition for having "secret" talks with the United States about the supply of rare and critical minerals.
New Zealand is in discussions with the US about the supply of rare and critical minerals, as Donald Trump seeks to reduce America's reliance on China for material it sees as pivotal for tech innovation and national security.
While no decisions have been made, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade confirmed officials are working through analysis, targeted consultation and providing advice to relevant ministers.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon stressed no Cabinet decisions have been made but said the government would "develop in [its] own brutal self interest".
The Minerals Council - the industry association representing mining in New Zealand - said the country should scale up mining, arguing it can be done responsibly.
Opposition parties weigh in
Labour's energy and resources spokesperson Megan Woods said mining opportunities shouldn't be exploited at the expense of the environment, especially the country's conservation estate.
"We are not against mining as long as it is done in an environmentally sustainable way. Under the Labour government, we were doing work on critical minerals that would help us decarbonise and move away from fossil fuels like coal in a way that ensures jobs in the long term.
"However, the government's plans as outlined in the Minerals Strategy for New Zealand, combined with the Fast Track law and refusal to phase out fossil fuels, have led to greater environmental and climate risks with no public scrutiny.
"Most New Zealanders would be upset that talks about mining and exporting critical minerals are taking place without transparency or accountability."
Labour's energy and resources spokesperson Megan Woods. Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone
Green Party co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick said the critical minerals discussions were happening "largely in secret and on terms dictated by the United States".
Luxon's government had not campaigned on this, she said.
"When exactly did we agree as a country to be in Trump's corner? There are far better decisions that we can be making if we are to, even for sake of argument, be thinking about mining more of these rare earth minerals.
"If we return to some of the rhetoric used by both Christopher Luxon and even Shane Jones last year, as they were trumpeting doing more of this kind of mining, they were telling everybody that it was about our clean, green energy transition.
"So it doesn't take much to put two and two together and figure out that this is a house of cards."
Te Pāti Māori was approached for comment.
Coalition parties' positions
New Zealand First's and self-proclaimed "pro-mining Minister" Shane Jones said the talks followed the coalition releasing its mining strategy and critical minerals list.
"Then there was an invitation for us to sign a global accord shared by the Koreans last year and now America has invited a whole host of nations to work with it and enter into a compact or an accord.
"The status of those negotiations and the final result lies with Cabinet and that's covered by confidentiality."
Shane Jones. Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone
Asked exactly what the government had signed up to in the global accord, Jones said it was about cooperation.
"This is the puzzling thing. We've got all these sort of frothy milk fed critics of mine but basically contemplated a lot of cooperation in terms of research, technology, opportunities for nations to work together, both financially and strategically, and boost the availability and access to these valuable minerals."
The ACT Party's resources spokesperson Simon Court said his party supported expanding mining in New Zealand.
"We want high paid jobs and we want an economy that can pay our own way so yes, ACT supports more mining, including for these critical minerals.
"That's why we secured the coalition commitment to create a critical minerals list that provides a simplified pathway for essentially prospecting, getting mining permits and eventually consenting mineral developments."
ACT was also supportive of New Zealand's critical minerals talks with the US.
"The United States is a key defence and security partner and it's important that we are responsive to the markets when we have something to sell.
"We'd also be hypocritical to try and stop it. We all use and benefit from these devices made from these minerals so restricting mining here just means that [if] the US can't get those minerals from New Zealand, they will be dug up somewhere else, probably somewhere with poor environmental oversight and more child labour."
Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
