September 21, 2025 • 3 mins
Frustrations are growing around the fast-track process in Taranaki, which has grounded to a halt due to bureaucracy.
215 parties are now having their say in the ‘VTM’ seabed mining project.
Resource Minister Shane Jones told Mike Hosking that the discourse around the project is responsible for hindering its progress.
‘We're dealing with a substantial reduction in earnings, not only from manufacturing, but from oil and gas.’
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Is fast track turning out to be not that fast.
Taranaki's seen two hundred and fifteen groups having their say
on this VTMC bed mining project that was always going
to be controversial. Of course. The Advisory Panel's gone ahead though,
and appointed a former Forest and Bird legal advisor to
oversee legal issues now. Shane Jones is the Resources managed
our Minister r and is back with us.
Speaker 2 (00:17):
Morning. Hey morning.
Speaker 1 (00:20):
So so far in fast track we have one cleared project,
which is the Auckland Port Extension. Is this the sort
of pace you were expecting?
Speaker 2 (00:28):
Oh, I got to be careful. It doesn't turn into
farcical track. Obviously fast means accelerate. I was surprised, and
I'm going to be very careful because US politicians always
get into the neck when we talk about judicial things.
But I was astounded that this Forest and Bird lawyer
has been appointed as a specialist advisor there in Tallaanaky
and the panel. No doubt, we'll have to watch very
(00:48):
carefully whether or not that taints the process. But more
astounding to me was that since the Taramaki Mona the
mountain has been given legal personhood, the panel has decided
to consult the Mountain as to whether or not this
thirty kilometer initiative out of the coastline of Taranaky to
dig up the ironsteins should be considered. I mean, it's unbelievable.
(01:13):
I knew that we were going to recognize Taranaki Mountain,
but I never thought that the mountain would either puff
or Belgian tell us what it thinks.
Speaker 1 (01:20):
Be very interesting to see what it has to say.
Didn't you appoint the panel?
Speaker 2 (01:25):
No, Sadly the system is that I'm not in control
of the fast tracking miracle. I think ministers should have
made all the decisions. But that was fine. That made
a different decision. I've delivered the outcome. But look, you know,
we're on the precipice of a resource renaissance and we
are still dealing with embedded forces, whether it's in the community,
(01:46):
these periguink cale hpoo's or these greenies who could tastrifize everything.
We're dealing with a substantial reduction and earnings not only
from manufacturing but from oil and gas, and that driven
by the juvenile decision that just sind the meat cancer
the industry. We need new industries. There's a Sahara desert
scale of industry off the coast of Tatamukey and we
just want a fair process where technology, rationalism, science delivers
(02:10):
an outcome.
Speaker 1 (02:11):
Exactly when I say you appointed the panel, didn't mean
you personally, meant you the government. Didn't the government appoint
the panels?
Speaker 2 (02:16):
No, no, no, the Well, we have a we have
a situation where we have some convenience embedded and side
the EPA an organization with people, so not the him
or her, they them. I mean that sort of culture
as we rooted out of the whole state.
Speaker 1 (02:34):
But but how come you guys, I mean, what's the point?
Here's your issue with the polls, and you will have
seen the polls last week. When it comes to people
blaming you for the economy, one of your ideas, one
of your better ideas, is fast track. And fast track
that turns out isn't fast. Why aren't you in charge
of the panel and get this thing rolling? Why isn't
it fast?
Speaker 2 (02:51):
Shane, Well, we're about to make a whole lot of amendments,
mister Bishop and I because we had the housing project
up and or installed some heretical economists. So obviously there
are elements that are not turning out as we thought
it should, Mike, but I want everyone to be reminded.
I was the guy who campaigned with Winston for ministers
to make all of these decisions. I feared that once
(03:13):
it went into the bureaucracy and these grandees, they find
all sorts of reason to elevate inanimate inanimate objects like
now the mountain has to say, thirty kilometers off the coastline.
By the way, that mountain apparently came from Lake Pople
when it fell out of its lover over there. So look,
we can't have this mythology and all these lizards and
various other critics overwhelming our need to grow jobs and
(03:35):
save the economy.
Speaker 1 (03:36):
No, indeed not. But you've got an election next year
and you've got to get on with it. Appreciate it.
Shane Jones, Resources Minister.
Speaker 2 (03:41):
For more from the Mic Asking Breakfast, listen live to
news talks that'd be from six am weekdays, or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio.
Is fast track turning out to be not that fast.
Taranaki's seen two hundred and fifteen groups having their say
on this VTMC bed mining project that was always going
to be controversial. Of course. The Advisory Panel's gone ahead though,
and appointed a former Forest and Bird legal advisor to
oversee legal issues now. Shane Jones is the Resources managed
our Minister r and is back with us.
Speaker 2 (00:17):
Morning. Hey morning.
Speaker 1 (00:20):
So so far in fast track we have one cleared project,
which is the Auckland Port Extension. Is this the sort
of pace you were expecting?
Speaker 2 (00:28):
Oh, I got to be careful. It doesn't turn into
farcical track. Obviously fast means accelerate. I was surprised, and
I'm going to be very careful because US politicians always
get into the neck when we talk about judicial things.
But I was astounded that this Forest and Bird lawyer
has been appointed as a specialist advisor there in Tallaanaky
and the panel. No doubt, we'll have to watch very
(00:48):
carefully whether or not that taints the process. But more
astounding to me was that since the Taramaki Mona the
mountain has been given legal personhood, the panel has decided
to consult the Mountain as to whether or not this
thirty kilometer initiative out of the coastline of Taranaky to
dig up the ironsteins should be considered. I mean, it's unbelievable.
(01:13):
I knew that we were going to recognize Taranaki Mountain,
but I never thought that the mountain would either puff
or Belgian tell us what it thinks.
Speaker 1 (01:20):
Be very interesting to see what it has to say.
Didn't you appoint the panel?
Speaker 2 (01:25):
No, Sadly the system is that I'm not in control
of the fast tracking miracle. I think ministers should have
made all the decisions. But that was fine. That made
a different decision. I've delivered the outcome. But look, you know,
we're on the precipice of a resource renaissance and we
are still dealing with embedded forces, whether it's in the community,
(01:46):
these periguink cale hpoo's or these greenies who could tastrifize everything.
We're dealing with a substantial reduction and earnings not only
from manufacturing but from oil and gas, and that driven
by the juvenile decision that just sind the meat cancer
the industry. We need new industries. There's a Sahara desert
scale of industry off the coast of Tatamukey and we
just want a fair process where technology, rationalism, science delivers
(02:10):
an outcome.
Speaker 1 (02:11):
Exactly when I say you appointed the panel, didn't mean
you personally, meant you the government. Didn't the government appoint
the panels?
Speaker 2 (02:16):
No, no, no, the Well, we have a we have
a situation where we have some convenience embedded and side
the EPA an organization with people, so not the him
or her, they them. I mean that sort of culture
as we rooted out of the whole state.
Speaker 1 (02:34):
But but how come you guys, I mean, what's the point?
Here's your issue with the polls, and you will have
seen the polls last week. When it comes to people
blaming you for the economy, one of your ideas, one
of your better ideas, is fast track. And fast track
that turns out isn't fast. Why aren't you in charge
of the panel and get this thing rolling? Why isn't
it fast?
Speaker 2 (02:51):
Shane, Well, we're about to make a whole lot of amendments,
mister Bishop and I because we had the housing project
up and or installed some heretical economists. So obviously there
are elements that are not turning out as we thought
it should, Mike, but I want everyone to be reminded.
I was the guy who campaigned with Winston for ministers
to make all of these decisions. I feared that once
(03:13):
it went into the bureaucracy and these grandees, they find
all sorts of reason to elevate inanimate inanimate objects like
now the mountain has to say, thirty kilometers off the coastline.
By the way, that mountain apparently came from Lake Pople
when it fell out of its lover over there. So look,
we can't have this mythology and all these lizards and
various other critics overwhelming our need to grow jobs and
(03:35):
save the economy.
Speaker 1 (03:36):
No, indeed not. But you've got an election next year
and you've got to get on with it. Appreciate it.
Shane Jones, Resources Minister.
Speaker 2 (03:41):
For more from the Mic Asking Breakfast, listen live to
news talks that'd be from six am weekdays, or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio.
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