Protest against gold drilling in Coromandel

Residents in Coromandel are protesting against the drilling for gold in the coastal community of Opoutere.

Operators of the Waihi gold mine, Newmont Gold, have set up a drilling rig there.

One of the organisers of the protest, Green MP Catherine Delahunty, says the community feels it will have a big problem on its hands if the mining activity is not stopped now.

"It's really important to the local community that they don't drill and establish how much gold's here, because if they do it's very hard for people to stop them coming in and turning this area into an industrial goldmine."

Ms Delahunty said the protest was intended to send a clear message to the mining company that it was not wanted in the coastal community.

- NEWSTALK ZB