The areas of concern lay in the
processing of, and the subsequent hearing into, Waihi Gold's resource consent
applications to extend Martha Mine. The proposed amendments to the Resource
Management Act 1991 might see the introduction of contestability in the
processing of applications - which would have assisted Waihi Gold; and the use
of commissioners to hear the applications, with a right of appeal to the
Environment
Court on points of law only. It is also proposed to
have major applications heard directly by the Environment Court. If Waihi Gold's
applications had been heard at first instance by the Court, the delays in time
and associated costs would have been reduced. However a hearing by commissioners
only would not have been satisfactory, there being no right of appeal against
the conditions of consent, which if implemented as granted by the Councils would
have had a significant impact on the costs associated with the extended
project.