Roadshow not consultation

Non-government organisations are frustrated with the Cook Islands government seabed mineral consultations that are being held in New Zealand, calling for a 10-year moratorium to allow for independent research and capacity building within the Cook Islands.

The Cook Islands government continues to come under fire for what local environmental groups call ‘misleading public consultations’ in New Zealand regarding seabed mining.

The government-led seabed mining consultation held on Monday night with the Cook Islands community in Auckland, presented a slideshow showcasing stakeholders involved in the seabed minerals sector, including Korero o te Orau and Te Ipukarea Society (TIS)’s logos.

Korero o te Orau, a prominent non-governmental organisations (NGOs), called out the government for misrepresenting their involvement in the process and using their logos in presentations without clarifying their opposition to deep sea mining.

In an interview with Cook Islands News, Dr Teina Rongo, chairperson of Korero o te Orau, expressed frustration over the consultations.

"This consultation is certainly not balanced, and our NGOs were misrepresented. By saying we are involved stakeholders, it implies that we support the government’s stance to pursue deep sea mining,” he said.

He emphasised that both organisations have been vocal in their opposition, advocating for a precautionary approach.

Dr Rongo called for a 10-year moratorium to allow for independent research and capacity building within the Cook Islands. "We need time to make our own decisions on this matter, free from outside influence and mining companies," he said.

Korero o te Orau secretary Jackie Rongo raised concerns about the composition of the government delegation conducting consultations in New Zealand, noting the absence of dissenting voices.

"If you look at the makeup of the delegation, there's nobody telling the story on the other side," she said.

She also criticized the government's use of Korero o te Orau and TIS logos in presentations, saying, "We are strongly opposed to deep sea mining, so it is interesting that our logo is being splashed up on their slideshow without our consent and knowledge."

Rongo also accused the government of focusing only on the potential profits and benefits of seabed mining, while downplaying the environmental risks and long-term harm.

On social media, Korero o te Orau directly challenged the Cook Islands Seabed Minerals Authority (SBMA), calling the presentations misleading.

SBMA defended its actions, stating that the slide merely identified key stakeholders and acknowledged NGOs' roles in raising awareness.

However, Korero o te Orau countered, insisting the use of their logo was inappropriate and suggested a separate slide for groups with concerns about deep sea mining.

Louisa Castledine of Ocean Ancestors added that the terminology used by the government was another issue.

“They are greenwashing, replacing words like ‘mining’ with ‘harvesting’ and calling it ‘seabed minerals development.’ It minimizes concerns and paints a rosy picture,” she said.

She also criticized claims of proper management and monitoring, calling them hollow without transparency.

"This is a roadshow, not a consultation. If it were a real consultation, there would be representation from opposition voices," she argued.

Both Korero o te Orau and TIS called for a more inclusive and transparent consultation process.

Dr. Rongo pointed out that the government had not invited either organization to participate in local consultations in 2021, despite their memberships in the Technical Advisory Group (TAG) for Marae Moana.

He described the TAG as largely symbolic, saying, "TAG hardly meets, and our membership gives the government the ability to say we are involved, but in reality, we are not meaningfully engaged."

Korero o te Orau and TIS believe that a precautionary approach should be adopted. "Only after enough independent research has been conducted to understand the environmental damage can a decision on whether to mine or not be made," Castledine said.

The organizations are demanding more balanced education and awareness efforts for the Cook Islands public before any further steps are taken.

They are also asking for direct participation in future consultations to ensure diverse perspectives are heard.

Korero o te Orau reported receiving feedback from the public that the government is presenting a one-sided narrative in New Zealand.

The NGOs warned that the current approach risks rushing the Cook Islands into an irreversible decision, with little consideration for long-term consequences.

They are also calling for a genuine dialogue about the future of seabed mining in the Cook Islands.

SBMA was contacted for a comment on email but the Commissioner, Alex Herman said they will provide a response by Thursday as they were busy. However, there was no response by the time this paper went to press.

Also read: Govt consultation ‘misleading’

Written by Talaia Mika | Published in Local, National, New Zealand, Regional