Throughout the interview, opposition to the Bendigo project was repeatedly described as coming from ‘‘luminaries’’, a shorthand that aligns neatly with the language of ‘‘elites’’ so often used by Resources Minister Shane Jones. Sir Ian TaylorIt was against that backdrop that the question was put to me: why don’t you just trust the fast-track process? These are people who come to the fast-track process with one arm firmly tied behind their backs. Not long after that interview, a fast-track panel released its draft decision declining Trans-Tasman Resources’ proposal to mine the South Taranaki seabed. The Minerals Council’s chief executive described the decision as ‘‘embarrassing’’ and urged people to trust the process, expressing hope that facts, evidence and science would prevail.

Source: Otago Daily Times February 12, 2026 16:33 UTC