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West Coast Council’s Unsold Gold Dredge
Twelve years after a controversial deal, the West Coast Regional Council still owes over $157,000 tied to a gold dredge owned by councillor Allan Birchfield — a relic of 2014 when the council’s business unit agreed to market it, securing expired resource consents in the process. Despite soaring gold prices and renewed mining interest, the dredge remains unsold, sparking debate over whether the council now faces a liability — or if it’s still a “contingent asset” waiting to be realized. The council’s Risk and Assurance Committee has flagged the stalemate, while Birchfield insists he’s not in…
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