Straterra
1. Business/Trading Name: Straterra – known as Straterra Incorporated (industry association for mining). Legally registered as Straterra Limited.
2. Company Number: 2149487.
3. NZBN (NZ Business Number): 9429032668261.
4. Entity Type: New Zealand Limited Company (registered 10 July 2008).
5. Business Classification: Industry lobby group for the mining and minerals sector (advocacy organization). Straterra represents mining companies and related firms, functioning as the peak mining industry association in NZ.
6. Industry Category: Mining and Natural Resources Advocacy – Straterra’s work centers on the minerals and mining sector (including coal), excluding oil, gas, and geothermal. It is the “peak New Zealand mining industry lobby group”.
7. Year Founded: 2008 – established by a coalition of gold and coal mining companies in 2008 as a unified lobby for the resource sector.
8. Addresses:
– Physical: Level 1, 93 The Terrace, Wellington 6011, New Zealand.
– Postal: PO Box 10668, The Terrace, Wellington 6143, New Zealand.
(This Wellington address houses Straterra’s office and is often the site of industry meetings and protests.)
9. Website URL:
https://straterra.co.nz
(official site with publications, submissions, and industry information).
10. LinkedIn URL:
https://www.linkedin.com/company/straterra-inc/?originalSubdomain=nz
11. Company Hub NZ URL: https://www.companyhub.nz/companyDetails.cfm?nzbn=9429032668261
12. NZ Companies Office URL:
https://app.companiesoffice.govt.nz/co/2149487
13. Social Media URLs:
– Twitter (X): @Straterra_Inc – active handle describing Straterra as NZ’s minerals sector industry group.
– Facebook: (Occasional mentions via industry pages; no official Straterra page known).
14. Ultimate Holding Company: None. Straterra is an independent entity (member-owned).
15. Key Shareholders: Christopher Don Baker – holds 100% of the single share of Straterra Limited. (Baker is a mining executive and was Straterra’s long-time CEO; the one-share structure likely facilitates control and governance on behalf of the member companies).
16. Leadership:
– Chairperson: Alison Paul – Chair of Straterra (Senior VP, NZ Legal & Public Affairs at OceanaGold). Represents a major gold mining company and oversees Straterra’s board.
– Chief Executive Officer: Josie Vidal – CEO since May 2022. Formerly a government advisor, she leads Straterra’s advocacy and operations.
– Board of Directors: Composed of senior figures from member companies: e.g. Richard Tacon (CEO, Bathurst Resources); Brent Francis (CEO, NZ Coal & Carbon); Jayden Ellis (Technical Manager, Stevenson Construction Materials/AQA Chair); Barry Bragg (Deputy Chair, Stevenson Group); Phil McKinnel (CEO, Birchfield Coal); Simon Delander (VP, Federation Mining). These industry executives steer Straterra’s strategic direction, ensuring it aligns with members’ interests.
17. Staff:
Bernie Napp (Policy Manager)
Jade Piper (Communications Advisor)
Sarah Walker (Business Manager)
Sarona Iosefa (Communications Manager)
18. Staff with Previous Government Roles:
Josie Vidal (CEO) –government press secretary for Nikki Kaye and John Carter, and multiple government advisory and communications roles.
19. Past Employees: Chris Baker – founding Chief Executive (served ~2008–2022). Under Baker’s leadership, Straterra grew into the “voice” of the mining industry. Baker, a veteran mining engineer, was pivotal in Straterra’s early lobbying (he remains listed as a director/shareholder). Other notable past figures: John Dow (founding Chair, former mining executive) and Peter Whittall (former Pike River Coal CEO) who served on Straterra’s board in its early years. Whittall’s involvement was controversial given his role in the Pike River mine disaster (charges against him were later dropped amid public outcry).
20. Clients: As an industry association, Straterra doesn’t have “clients” in a commercial sense – its members are effectively its clients.
OceanaGold
Bathhurst Resources
BT Mining
NZCC (New Zealand Coal and Carbon)
Stevenson Holdings
Birchfield Coal Mines Ltd
New Vale
CSSC (Coal Sector Sub Committee)
Santana Minerals Ltd
Federation Mining
SGS (Société Générale de Surveillance)
Verum Group
Okane
Red Bull Power Company
Tailored Energy Solutions
Rosco Contractors Ltd
TTR (Trans-Tasman Resources)
Orica
AQA (The Aggregate and Quarry Association of New Zealand)
Siren Gold Limited
TerraCat
Rua Gold
Kai Point Coal
Westland Mineral Sands
Anderson Lloyd
Pan NZ Resources
Simpson Grierson
RSC Mining and Mineral Exploration
Stephen Christensen
Greenwood Roche Project Lawyers
Greymouth Petroleum
TDX Ltd
Deloitte
GHD
Dowgold Consultants
Howden
Prospect Consulting
Epiroc
SSI (Smart Staff International)
Merman Ltd
Minerals West Coast
George Hooper
McCracken Consulting
21. Industries/Sectors Represented: Minerals and Mining Sector – Straterra’s membership spans coal, gold, and mineral mining companies, exploration firms, quarrying interests, mining equipment suppliers, engineering and geoscience consultancies, and law/accounting firms servicing mining. Its remit explicitly excludes oil and gas (which are covered by a separate lobby) and geothermal energy. In effect, Straterra speaks for New Zealand’s solid minerals extraction industry, from large multinationals to smaller prospectors, and even some Crown-owned mining operations in the past. The sectors represented include coal mining, hard-rock metal mining, industrial minerals, and aggregates (quarries).
22. Publicly Disclosed Engagements: Straterra regularly engages in formal consultation and lobbying processes that are a matter of public record. It makes submissions to Parliament and Government agencies on legislation and policy. For example, Straterra has lodged submissions on climate and environmental policies (e.g. on the Emissions Reduction Plan, NZ Emissions Trading Scheme, and Resource Management Act reforms), on mining regulations, conservation policy, and local government plans. These submissions (often published on Straterra’s website) disclose the organisation’s positions and recommendations. Straterra’s representatives also appear in parliamentary select committee hearings on bills affecting the extractives sector, and the organisation issues press releases responding to government announcements. (Ministers’ transparency disclosures (diaries) have occasionally noted meetings with Straterra, although one high-profile ministerial meeting in 2020 was initially not disclosed)
23. Affiliations:
Straterra often collaborates with related industry bodies. It works alongside the Aggregate and Quarry Association (AQA) and the MinEx Health & Safety Council on sector-wide issues (for instance, co-hosting events – see #25). Straterra is also connected to the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (AusIMM) and Minerals West Coast through shared initiatives and conferences. It is a member of the BusinessNZ network via the BusinessNZ Energy Council, reflecting cross-industry alignment on resource and energy policy.
Affiliation also with Matt Freeman and Freeman Media – co-organising national industry conferences.
24. Sponsorships/Collaborations: Straterra undertakes or supports initiatives to promote the industry’s image and address skills or diversity issues. It sponsors events, awards, and publications in partnership with others. For example, Straterra, AQA, and MinEx jointly sponsor the annual “Women in Extractives” awards to champion diversity in mining. It has collaborated with educational and training bodies (e.g. MITO) to highlight career pathways in mining. The organisation also collaborates with government entities for certain projects – notably, in 2014 Straterra worked with MPs to launch a “Minerals Briefing Paper” at Parliament (an event hosted in the Parliament’s Banquet Hall), effectively co-opting a government venue to promote industry prospects. Straterra’s member companies often coordinate with it to sponsor research (e.g. on mining environmental impacts) or community events in mining regions.
25. Events (Organised or Hosted): New Zealand Minerals Forum – Straterra co-organises this flagship annual mining conference alongside Freeman Media. The Minerals Forum gathers industry, government, and investors to discuss mining’s future; Straterra’s leadership often presents or facilitates sessions. (In 2020, this forum was cancelled due to security concerns from planned protests, highlighting tensions around Straterra’s events.) Straterra also hosts and co-hosts workshops, seminars, and luncheons: for example, it arranged ministerial briefings like a 2013 “mining club” meeting where Energy Minister Simon Bridges addressed industry stakeholders. As noted, Straterra with AQA/MinEx runs the annual Extractives Industry Awards (celebrating achievements in mining and quarrying). The organisation participates in regional mining meetings (e.g. West Coast mining symposia) and has convened stakeholder events around policy launches (such as the 2014 minerals sector strategy release at Parliament). These events serve to network the industry and to interface with policymakers (often providing informal lobbying opportunities).
26. Political Donations: No direct political donations by Straterra are publicly recorded. As a lobby group funded by multiple companies, Straterra itself typically pursues influence via advocacy rather than party donations. However, member companies have made significant political donations or contributions in contexts aligned with Straterra’s interests. For instance, in 2019 Bathurst Resources (a Straterra member) spent over $30,000 backing a pro-mining political campaign on the West Coast, opposing policies that would ban mining on conservation land. This suggests that the mining industry channels funds to sympathetic candidates/parties (often the center-right) to bolster Straterra’s lobbying objectives.
27. Controversies: Straterra has been at the center of several controversies due to its pro-mining advocacy:
Environmental Opposition: Conservation and climate groups accuse Straterra of pushing environmentally harmful projects. A flashpoint was Straterra’s support for mining in ecologically sensitive areas (including conservation lands and seabeds). In September 2024, Greenpeace activists occupied Straterra’s Wellington office in protest of its lobbying for a seabed mining venture, unfurling banners “No Seabed Mining” and resulting in multiple arrests. This dramatic protest underlined Straterra’s role in contentious projects and garnered national media attention.
“Mining Everywhere” Stance: Straterra’s 2023 annual report diagram suggesting minimal land off-limits to mining drew criticism that the group “wants mining everywhere in New Zealand”. Environmentalists were alarmed by Straterra’s submissions seeking to remove protections on wetlands and allow more coal mining, despite NZ’s climate commitments. Such positions have been labeled as out-of-step with public sentiment and conservation priorities, leading to public pushback.
Revolving Door & Influence Peddling: Questions have been raised about Straterra’s behind-closed-doors influence. In 2020 it emerged that then-Minister Shane Jones held a private dinner with Straterra-affiliated mining bosses (unofficial and initially omitted from his public diary) to discuss fast-tracking a coal mine approval. The omission and subsequent advocacy letter prompted allegations of improper lobbying and lack of transparency, reflecting negatively on Straterra’s lobbying methods.
Leadership Scrutiny: The presence of figures like Peter Whittall (Pike River ex-CEO) on Straterra’s board (circa 2009–2010) drew controversy. Whittall was later embroiled in a major mine disaster investigation, and although charges were dropped in a controversial deal, his association with Straterra tied the lobby group to one of NZ’s worst mining tragedies. This association, albeit historical, has been cited by critics as indicative of the industry’s checkered safety record and Straterra’s loyalty to even the tarnished members of its fraternity.
Overall, Straterra is frequently criticized for “greenwashing” – presenting mining as sustainable while lobbying to weaken environmental safeguards. These controversies have made Straterra a target of NGOs and have put its public communications under heavy scrutiny.
28. Other Information of Note:
Straterra’s public messaging emphasises “sustainable mining” and the sector’s contribution to a low-carbon future. Its charter proclaims a goal of “socially and environmentally responsible mining” yielding “enduring value for all New Zealanders”. In practice, this has included launching PR campaigns about mining’s role in supplying minerals for clean-tech (e.g. electric vehicles, renewable energy) and efforts to improve the industry’s image. Straterra has also highlighted positive stories (rehabilitation of mine sites, community benefits) – for example, publishing case studies like “The greening of Stockton” (an article about ecological restoration on a coal mine site).
The organisation was a recipient of the government’s “Major Electricity Users” group outreach (collaborating on energy policy given mining’s energy-intensive operations) and often aligns with other resource lobbies on climate and trade issues.
29. Recipient of Wage Subsidy Scheme: No record that Straterra Limited or Inc. received Covid-19 wage subsidies.
[1] https://www.linkedin.com/in/bernie-napp-53919b24/
[2] https://www.linkedin.com/in/jade-piper-b43735103/?originalSubdomain=nz
[3] https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-walker-a442b832/?originalSubdomain=nz
[4] https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarona-iosefa-99166139/?original_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Egoogle%2Ecom%2F&originalSubdomain=nz
[5] https://www.linkedin.com/in/barry-bragg-49063544/details/experience/
[8] https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/kate-macnamara-cancelled-minerals-forum-re-emerged-in-secret-as-equipment-expo/HZEPORKVEFWUFZH6B5TWCQUZHU/
Spot anything in this entry that is wrong? Please either leave a comment at the end or email, in confidence: bryce@democracyproject.nz