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Presentation by Gore District Mayor Tracy Hicks

Regional Impacts – Southland Lignite. Presentation by Gore District Mayor Tracy Hicks. What is Southland known for?. Oysters. Friendly people. Strong agricultural sector. Trout fishing. Burt Munro Rally. Spectacular scenery. Southern Institute of Technology. Tiwai Aluminium Smelter.

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Presentation by Gore District Mayor Tracy Hicks

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  1. Regional Impacts – Southland Lignite Presentation by Gore District Mayor Tracy Hicks

  2. What is Southland known for? • Oysters • Friendly people • Strong agricultural sector • Trout fishing • Burt Munro Rally • Spectacular scenery • Southern Institute of Technology • Tiwai Aluminium Smelter

  3. What is Gore known for? • New Zealand’s capital of brown trout fishing and country music HOME OF … • NZ Gold Guitar Awards • Eastern Southland Gallery (nicknamed the Goreggenheim) • Hokonui Fashion Design Awards • Southern Field Days • Hokonui Moonshiners Festival • All Blacks Jimmy Cowan & Justin Marshall

  4. Southland today • Population approx 90,000 (2.3% of NZ) • Only 2.6 people per km²(15 people nationally) • Land area 3,035,577 ha (12.0% of New Zealand land area) • Three local authorities/one regional council • Declining and ageing population • Shift in farming sector from sheep/beef to dairying

  5. Coal Resources • NOW • 3 billion tonnes recoverable lignite in the Gore District (coalnz.com) • Solid Energy main stakeholder • New Vale coal mine – output 250,000 tonnes pa • Soon-to-be-commissioned $25m briquetting plant • Plant to produce 90,000 tonnes of briquettes from 150,000 tonnes of lignite

  6. Into the future Coal to fertiliser plant Output: 1.2million tonnes urea pa (initial investigations but Solid Energy now considering other plant sizes) Cost: $NZ1.5 billion Jobs: Construction 1000 plus over 2/3 years Plant 250 Mine 250 Location: Decision at the end of 2012 at the earliest

  7. Further into the future • Coal to Liquid Fuels • Input/output: Unknown • Cost: $NZ10 billion plus • Jobs: Construction 4000 over 3/4 years • Plant 600 • Mine 600 • Commercial plant potentially operating by 2019-2020

  8. Impacts • Local, regional & national • Potential impacts on air quality, water, ecology, traffic, noise • Local authorities will have RMA and community advocacy roles • Challenge will be how they balance these roles • Recognise growth brings social change • Maximise benefits while minimising impacts

  9. The Big Questions Population growth - how will it affect • Our medical services • Our schools • Our recreational facilities • Our safe communities • Our municipal infrastructure Development but not at any cost

  10. More Big Questions • Where will the people live? • Where do we build new houses? • Do we have enough water for them? • Is there enough electricity? • Will there be an increase in tourism? • Will the pool be crowded? • Will McDonalds get crowded?

  11. Will there be enough … • Doctors • Dentists • Emergency service personal • Police • Schools • Playgrounds • Recreation facilities • Restaurants

  12. What can we do? Prepare - be proactive not reactive • GDC has commissioned background studies on • Social and economic framework • Transport model • Urban infrastructure • Landscape • Framework to assess ecological values Next Step: A District Growth Strategy

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