Seabed mining consultations criticised as ‘one-sided sales pitch’
A Cook Islands environmental advocate has criticised the seabed mining consultation process being undertaken by the Cook Islands Government in Australia, describing it as one-sided and lacking meaningful engagement with local NGOs.
Louisa Castledine, spokesperson for the ocean advocacy collective Ocean Ancestors, shared her concerns during the recent consultation event hosted by the Seabed Minerals Authority (SBMA) and government representatives on the Gold Coast.
“I’m really glad that I could be in this space tonight to hear everyone’s comments and to hear from the team here that have come over,” said Castledine.
“I live in Rarotonga and I’m here on studies here in Australia so it was quite good timing that I could be here.”
Speaking during the Q&A session, Castledine said, “I am quite vocal in this space back home and my stance on seabed mining is really, really clear. I would say that I’m probably disappointed that we as NGOs haven’t been given an opportunity to be able to provide a balanced approach to your consultations that you’ve been hosting.”
Ocean Ancestors is a collective which includes several local NGOs such as the Te Ipukarea Society, Kōrero o te 'Ōrau, and other community groups and businesses.
Castledine questioned the framing of seabed mining as a purely beneficial venture, without highlighting any environmental, cultural, or social risks.
“You listed a whole heap of examples of where it is used but you didn’t list one negative impact and that’s where you missed the balance,” she said.
Citing the examples of mining in Australia and the Democratic Republic of Congo, Castledine warned of the long-term consequences for Indigenous communities.
“They are the least recognised people, they are the least remunerated within the mining industry and they suffer the largest impacts ... Who does win is the mining companies.”
She also raised concerns over the absence of the word “protection” in SBMA’s presentation slide on responsibilities, despite its emphasis under the Marae Moana framework.
“It needs to be more pivotal,” she added.
Hina David-Tahiri, a Cook Islander based in Australia who also attended the event, said the session felt more like a “sales pitch” than a balanced discussion.
“The presentation was all about the benefits of seabed mining, with zero discussion of the risks or environmental costs – despite decades of dialogue and a supposed three-year ‘exploration’ phase,” she said.
“This issue is far too critical to be glossed over with PR.”
The Cook Islands Government has been hosting consultations in New Zealand and Australia to update members of the diaspora on the status of the nation’s seabed mineral exploration plans.
According to SBMA, the aim is to provide “factual” information and encourage public feedback.
For Castledine, simply being able to attend marked a step forward — albeit one overshadowed by what she views as an uneven platform.
“What we don’t want to end up in is a power struggle between very strong powers and we find ourselves in the imbalance of power relations,” she said. “I want to see it painted out more clearly about how we are going to be proactive about protection.”
David-Tahiri added, “The ocean is our ancestor. Let’s not trade it away for short-term gain.”
The delegation to Australia led by Prime Minister Mark Brown includes Sonny Williams - Associate Minister for Seabed Minerals, Travel Tou Ariki - Kaumaiti Nui Ariki, Bishop Tutai Pere - chairman for Seabed Minerals Authority Advisory Committee, George George - member of the SBM Advisory Committee, Edward Herman - partnerships and cooperations director, Kaitini Herman - partnerships and cooperation officer, Dede Mingi - partnerships and cooperation officer, John Parianos - knowledge management director, Tanga Morris - knowledge management director and Josie Raita - finance and human resources.
Written by Talaia Mika | Published in Environment, Local, National