(Image stolen from BBC)
When National floated the idea of digging up our national parks and despoiling our natural environment to give our mineral wealth to foreigners, they made a lot of noise about how modern mining was "surgical" and that that wealth would be able to be stolen without damaging the landscape. Concerns of open-cast mining were dismissed.
As usual, they lied - Gerry Brownlee is now refusing to rule out open-cast mining in national parks. So kiwis or international tourists exploring Mount Aspiring National Park to experience pure and unsullied nature could end up having to share their experience with the above, complete with blasting, ore-crushing, and excavators and trucks spewing fumes.
This needs to be stopped. If you haven't done it already, sign the Greens' petition [PDF]. That'll help in the short-term, by demonstrating that there will be a high political cost if they continue. But in the longer term, the only way to protect these areas is to vote National out of office. Remember that in 2011.
