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RNZ News
19 hours ago
- Politics
- RNZ News
Deep sea mining decision already made, Cook Islands opposition leader says
Cook Islands nodule field - photo taken within Cook Islands EEZ. Photo: Cook Islands Seabed Minerals Authority The Cook Islands' opposition leader believes the government has already decided it wants to pursue deep sea mining despite the science being inconclusive. Tina Browne has called for a pause on "the aggressive promotion of mining" by her government. However, she said she was fine with exploration and exploitation - the actual mining - if it is deemed environmentally safe. When asked how this position differed from the government's, she said, "The feeling that we have is that, while we want to tread cautiously and have the data available and the decisions made for safety, the government is promoting it in such a way that it has already determined it is safe." The Cook Islands is currently exploring the possibility of developing the industry but has not yet begun the actual mining. The Seabed Minerals Authority (SMA) is the government body in charge of deep sea mining in the Cook Islands. SMA's knowledge management director John Parionos said the National Environment Service is responsible for managing the process before an environmental project permit is issued. "This process is clear and legally mandated," Parionos said. He said it included the provision of a detailed environmental impact statement by the companies. While the authority and the National Environment Service have commissioned a strategic environmental assessment. "The [strategic environmental assessment's] purpose is to inform policy, not authorize any particular project to proceed to commercial minerals harvesting or other mining," Parionos said. "The results of the [strategic environmental assessment] thus far are encouraging but show key areas of uncertainty." Tina Browne Photo: Cook Islands News Browne said she did not want to be driven by the economic benefits of mining. "I want us to apply a lot of common sense and wisdom to the whole thing and not just be driven by the need to get money," she said. "We say that we are doing this for the future of our children, the children are saying, 'Well, there's not enough of us at these consultation meetings. "It's the same old elderly adults who are leaving us soon, we should be the ones to have a say in what we want for our future'."
RNZ News
18-06-2025
- Politics
- RNZ News
Cook Islands opposition calls for national pause on seabed mining
By Talaia Mika , Cook Islands News Cook Islands opposition leader Tina Browne Photo: Cook Islands News Cook Islands opposition leader Tina Browne is calling for a "national pause" on the Cook Islands' deep sea mining ambitions, warning that the country is risking its oceanic heritage and identity by charging ahead with a decision that could have irreversible consequences. Browne made the comment following the meeting of Pacific leaders in Nice, France, a gathering also attended by Prime Minister Mark Brown, who led a Cook Islands delegation to the third United Nations Ocean Conference. The Opposition leader questioned the government's commitment to responsible development, contrasting it with the passionate pleas from neighbouring Pacific countries calling for moratoriums and marine protection. "Like many across our country and Te Moana Nui o Kiva, I was deeply moved listening to our Pacific leaders speak in France this week," Browne said. "Tuvalu's President pleaded for help in the face of rising seas swallowing his nation. The Solomon Islands called for a moratorium on seabed mining. Tahiti invoked its cultural heritage to place a rā'ui-a traditional protection-over a vast section of its ocean territory. "They spoke with heart and with courage. They reminded us that while we may be small islands, we are vast ocean nations-and that with that vastness comes a duty to protect it." Also read: While leaders across the region are urging caution and conservation, Browne says the Cook Islands government is "forging ahead with plans to mine the deep seabed beneath our waters," describing the approach as one that is "moving quickly and quietly on something that could change our ocean forever." The Prime Minister and his delegation had earlier joined world leaders in Monaco for the Blue Economy and Finance Forum before heading to Nice, where they reaffirmed the Cook Islands' push to become a global leader in seabed mining. Mark Brown defended the country's stance on deep sea mineral exploration, highlighting the regulatory frameworks being developed and the potential economic benefits for the nation. But Browne said while she is not opposed to economic development, it must not come at the expense of the country's identity or values. "I want to be clear: I am not against development. I understand our need to grow our economy and reduce our reliance on others. But development must be responsible, inclusive, and not compromise the very foundation of who we are. And in the Cook Islands, the ocean is not just territory-it is genealogy, spirituality, and life." Citing recent feedback from young Cook Islanders during a seabed mining consultation in Australia, Browne raised concerns over intergenerational justice and the lack of youth involvement in decision-making. "Several young Cook Islanders expressed frustration at a recent seabed mining consultation in Australia. They said the room was full of older people and felt left out, ignored in a process that would most affect their future," she said. "If our youth-the very people we say we are doing this for-feel excluded, then we must ask ourselves whether this process is fair or even just." Browne said true leadership is knowing when to pause, listen, and bring the nation along with the decision-making process. "We are often proud to say we are leaders in the Pacific. However, leadership is not always about being first. Sometimes, it's about knowing when to stop and listen-when to join the chorus, not go solo." She has urged the government to put a national pause on the seabed mining rollout, and to commit to meaningful dialogue with the people of the Cook Islands. "I am calling for a national pause - a moment to step back and reflect together as a country," she said. "Let us open up proper space for dialogue-not just behind closed doors or technical briefings, but real conversations in our villages, churches, and homes. Let us hear from our vaka navigators, our reef fishermen, and our grandmothers, who understand the tides better than any textbook." "Let us ask: Do we truly know the risks? Do we have a mandate from our people? And is this the legacy we want to leave behind?" Browne concluded with a plea to put wisdom before ambition: "We still have time to make the right decision, not rushed or pressured, but one that honours our identity, the ocean, and our place in the Pacific. Let's lead with wisdom, not just ambition." -This article was first published by Cook Islands News .
