Fast-track Approvals Bill Passed

Santana Minerals Ltd
Level 1, 371 Queen St
Brisbane, QLD 4000
ABN 37 161 946 989
GPO Box 1305
Brisbane, QLD4000

T: +61 7 3221 7501



18 December 2024

Fast-track Approvals Bill passed – applications open in February

Santana Minerals Ltd (Santana, ASX/NZX: SMI or the Company) welcomes the successful passage of
the Fast-track Approvals Bill through its third and final reading in New Zealand’s Parliament on 17
th

December. Following Royal Assent, the Bill will become law and provide a revised platform for the
approval of significant development projects in New Zealand, including our own proposed Bendigo-
Ophir Gold Project.
The successful passage of the Bill represents a significant milestone for the Company. It enables us to
present the mass of multi-disciplined baseline studies through a new one-stop-shop platform, which
on balance is constructed to a principle favouring economic output and benefits as its underlying focus.
The Government in passing the Bill has advised that it will begin to receive applications for consent
from February 7, 2025 and Santana intends to lodge its application as soon as practicably possible after
this date.
Santana Minerals’ CEO, Damian Spring, commented:
The new NZ Government has delivered on its promises to cut through the layers of red and
green tape that have increasingly crippled economic development, created substantive cost
and delays and handicapped project financing. The Bill reflects a clear commitment from the
Government to enabling significant projects that support regional development, job creation,
and economic growth.
We believe our Bendigo-Ophir Gold Project can deliver a sustainable and responsible operation
that will provide enduring benefits to all stakeholders as was the case when the gold rush of
the 1860’s spawned population growth, wealth, and sustained economic development for the
Central Otago region.
Further, we firmly believe our proposed development application will clearly demonstrate
material outcomes and benefits that will far outweigh any temporary adverse impacts from its
development.

End.

This announcement has been authorised for release by the Board.


Enquiries:

Damian Spring
Exec. Director & CEO
dspring@santanaminerals.com
Sam Smith
Exec. Director Corp Affairs & IR
ssmith@santanaminerals.com

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