Last week, when Forest & Bird revealed leaked documents showing that the government planned to open more than 7,000 hectares of schedule 4 land to mining, including the Te Ahumata plateau on Great Barrier Island, the Otahu Ecological Area and Parakawai Geological Reserve in Coromandel, 2,500 hectares near Thames, and the Eastern Paparoa National Park, near Inangahua, the government was quick to claim that the information was false, and that it was all "scaremongering" and "hysteria". Today, they released their plans to open more than 7,000 hectares of schedule 4 land to mining, including the Te Ahumata plateau on Great Barrier Island, the Otahu Ecological Area and Parakawai Geological Reserve in Coromandel, 2,500 hectares near Thames, and the Eastern Paparoa National Park, near Inangahua - the exact areas Forest & Bird had indicated. Last week's "hysteria" is today's policy. The lesson is clear: if the government claims something is "hysterical", it is almost certainly true.

The government is trying to spin this as only taking a little bit - only 0.2% of current schedule 4 land. But this ignores the fact that Schedule 4 land is our most ecologically sensitive areas. No part of it shoudl be dug up. As for their claims that they are adding more than they are taking away, this is land which had been earmarked to be added to Schedule 4 for some time, and which was going to be added anyway. In other words, more spin and bullshit.

As Forest & Bird pointed out, the areas in question provide critical habitat for endangered native species such as the brown teal and Hochstetter's Frog, as well as native fish and plants. The government wants to run them all over with a bulldozer. The areas are described as "outstanding" by DoC. The government wants to cut down the trees, dig up the land, and leave us with a moonscape. Its as if we're governed by orcs...

People are not going to let this happen. There will be protests, blockades, and people lying down in front of bulldozers to protect these precious natural places. But the most effective protest will come at the ballot box in 2011. Thanks to MMP, National is only 2% and a coalition realignment away from opposition - and they've just given people a real reason to make that happen.

Update: Added link.