Petition presented to Parliament to include Sam’s Creek in national park
Friday 25 September 2026 · 2 outlets · 2 reports · updated In this story Labour Party, Green Party, Lan Pham
Nearly 12,000 people have signed a petition calling for Sam’s Creek to be added to Kahurangi National Park. Save Our Springs representatives presented the document to Green MP Lan Pham in Wellington to protect the area from potential mining. Both Labour and Green MPs are supporting the proposal.
Key facts
5 facts
- Petition contains nearly 12,000 signatures.
- Proposed expansion of Kahurangi National Park is 4,400ha to 4,500ha.
- Siren Gold Limited's mining permit application was declined in May.
- The petition was presented to Green MP Lan Pham on Wednesday.
- The petition was started by the Save Our Springs group.
The full story
1 min read · 2 outlets
A petition with nearly 12,000 signatures calling for the expansion of Kahurangi National Park was presented to Green MP Lan Pham at Parliament on Wednesday. The petition seeks to include Sam’s Creek and adjoining Tākaka River and Cobb conservation areas to protect the area from mining. This expansion would increase the park's size by approximately 4,400 to 4,500 hectares.
The Save Our Springs group presented the petition to protect the Te Waikoropupū Springs from the environmental effects of upstream mining. The group's co-ordinator, Kevin Moran, stated that the presentation went "extraordinarily well".
The Green Party and the Labour Party have both expressed support for the inclusion of the area in the national park. Labour conservation spokesperson Priyanca Radhakrishnan said the addition would "permanently protect Sams Creek from mining activity".
A spokesperson for Conservation Minister Tama Potaka stated the minister has not seen the petition or received advice on it. Former Prime Minister Helen Clark and former Conservation Minister Philip Woollaston have both signed the petition.
Where reports differ
- The proposed size of the park expansion is cited as 4,400ha in one report and approximately 4,500ha in another.
Compiled from reports by The Press and RNZ.