This week’s Cook Islands diaspora consultations in New Zealand have amounted to a shotgun approach to current affairs covering a variety of topics of national importance.

Prime Minister Mark Brown and his delegation spoke on seabed minerals exploration, the 60 years of self-governance anniversary next year, and the future of the nation.

In these consultations the Seabed Minerals Authority (SBMA) has shared the latest updates in the seabed minerals sector, focusing on responsible exploration and environmental protection.

According to SBMA, discussions covered the Cook Islands’ commitment to sustainability, showcasing how seabed resource management is balanced with environmental safeguards and people empowerment - this approach aims to create broad opportunities while preserving our marine environment, setting a new benchmark for sustainable resource development in the Pacific.

Cook Islander Thomas Tarurongo Wynne attended the consultation held at Te Akapuanga Hall in Porirua, Wellington.

Considering other community meetings that have been held, Wynne said the consultation was well attended by over 60 people.

He said the presentation from the SBMA team was in some parts technical, but also engaging for the many mamas and papas who attended, as for many it was their first time hearing about the seabed minerals exploration, “and just how long we as a country have been considering this as an income for our country citing the words of Sir Albert Henry back in the 1970s.”

In Māori and in English different aspects were discussed including the amount of nodules in the Cook Islands EEZ (exclusive economic zone), and how big the EEZ was – it covers 1,960,027 square kilometres (756,771 sq. miles) of ocean.

“And the small part of our total nodule area that would be considered for harvesting should the nodule exploration data point it being able to be done with as little impact on the environment.”

Wynne said there were a number of questions including how we would be sure if this proceeded, that cobalt would not be used in weapons manufacturing, additionally if oil or other resources were discovered by exploration companies, that any energy resource found would remain the property of the Cook Islands people.

He said Mama Teuru Kekena, spoke at the meeting and said she had many questions previously on mineral harvesting that had been answered on the night and she thanked the government team for their presentation on a cold Wellington evening.

“I remain curious and open to data that can point us in the right direction from as broad a spectrum of data providers as possible.

“The critical question in any discussion around the potential for mineral harvesting and in fact any government looking to explore or exploit its resources, is ensuring we have:

1) The capacity to do that in a way that protects the environment for generations to come.

2) Equity with regard to the financial return for us as a country if the decision is to move into extraction, and

3) Trust of a government to abide by the regulations and legislation put in place to protect them and our country from political interference at a level that the public has little access to.

The Cook Islands diaspora delegation in New Zealand comprises: Office of the Prime Minister - Prime Minister Mark Brown, minister for seabed minerals and his wife Daphne Brown; Te Are Ariki - Kaumaiti Nui Tou Travel Ariki. Seabed Minerals Authority (SBM) Commissioner – Alex Herman, Partnerships and Cooperation (PAC) Director - Edward Herman, Knowledge Management (KNO) Director - Dr. John Parianos, Communications Officer (PAC) - Kaitini Herman, Senior Knowledge Management Officer (KNO) - Rima Browne, SBM Advisory Committee Chairman - Bishop Tutai Pere, SBMA Advisory Committee Member -  George George.

Today in Dunedin (NZ Thursday 21 November), the consultation will be held from 5 – 8pm, at the First Church of Otago, 415 Moray Place.

On Friday 22 November – NZ time, the consultation will be hosted in Tokoroa from 5 – 8pm at the PIPC, St Lukes.