Sams Creek Collective is in agreement, strongly doubting that Siren Gold’s proposed gold mine at Sams Creek would result in dazzling riches and lasting prosperity being shared with the people of Golden Bay.
Andrea Vance – The Post/Sunday Star Times March 15, 2026
Nearly half of voters believe New Zealand is not receiving a fair share of royalties from companies extracting minerals and other natural resources, according to new polling.
The latest The Post/Freshwater Strategy poll with Infrastructure New Zealand found 45% of voters disagree that the country receives a fair return from mining companies, compared with just 21% who believe New Zealand is getting its fair share. Almost a quarter of respondents – 24% – were neutral on the question, while 10% said they were unsure.
The intensity of opinion is also notable. Twenty-two percent of respondents said they strongly disagree that New Zealand gets a fair share of royalties, while 23% said they slightly disagree. By contrast, only 7% of voters strongly agree the country receives a fair return from mining, while 14% said they slightly agree.
The findings come as debate grows over the role of mining in New Zealand’s economy and whether the country should seek greater returns from companies extracting its natural resources.
Resources Minister Shane Jones, who is aiming for a “drill baby drill” approach to boost economic growth, launched a review of the royalty regime last year.
The current regime was last reviewed in 2012, with new regulations put in place in 2013. Since then, rising gold and other mineral prices, and a more permissive government have boosted industry interest in exploration and mining. Official figures show government revenue from minerals and petroleum fluctuating.
Total revenue fell to $143.4 million in 2024–25, down 40% from 2023–24, largely due to a drop in petroleum production. Petroleum royalties and energy resource levies fell 44% to $123.7 million, while coal royalties fell from $3.66 million to $1.78 million following lower output at Stockton Mine after the partial collapse of the Reefton rail tunnel.
Gold royalties, by contrast, rose 26% to $11.6 million, supported by strong international prices, although total gold production dipped slightly to 213,000 ounces, with OceanaGold’s Macraes and Waihi mines producing 84% of the total.
Overall mineral production fell marginally from 32.6 million tonnes in 2023 to 31.5 million tonnes in 2024.
Expenditure on prospecting and exploration under Crown-mineral permits declined 12% to $62.3 million, while consenting and administration costs increased 26% to $26.1 million, reflecting the transition of several major projects from exploration to mining stages.
Officials have commissioned an external economic report and modelling to assess whether the current system delivers a fair financial return to the Crown. The work will include an evaluation of the overall “government take” from the sector, including royalties, levies, taxes and regulatory fees, and how that compares with other mining jurisdictions.
The report will also consider alternative models.
“Mining has been marginalised for so long, and now in some regions it’s at the centre of debates about development,” Jones said. “A host of other taxes and fees and levies are paid by mining operations. Those who oppose mining often go straight to focusing on royalties without giving due credit to the other sources of dough the Crown receives.”
Jones said the review would inform the debate but decisions about any changes would likely come after the election.“If there is a growing surge in the public that the public needs to get more on the back of escalating commodity prices, the best way to test that is at the election,” he said.
https://www.thepost.co.nz/politics/360964143/voters-think-mining-companies-get-better-deal
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