The fast-track legislation passing its second reading in Parliament is another step towards environmental ruin.
“This flawed legislation poses a huge threat to our environment, and spells bad news for our climate and international reputation,” says the Green Party Spokesperson for the Environment, Lan Pham.
“The environment provides the basis for life itself. We must be responsible stewards of the natural world which sustains us, and ditch the regressive exploitative and extractive approach that benefits an already wealthy few at the expense of all of us.
“This Bill in its current form would push our climate targets even further out of reach while threatening the progress we have made so far.
“The sheer lack of environmental protections in this fast-track regime, and the absence of scrutiny around the projects it will allow, breaches a bottom line for New Zealanders who do not want to see our natural world bulldozed for private gain.
“Despite the vast majority of submitters opposing this Bill, the Government is ignoring the voice of the people and ploughing ahead with this reckless legislation.
“The Government should dump this Bill which is geared towards helping a narrow group of business interests. We note that the Auditor-General is investigating how ministers have handled conflicts of interest in the fast-track regime.
“It is outrageous that prohibited activities, projects that have been strongly opposed by communities or ‘zombie projects’ previously rejected by the courts could be given a lifeline under what is currently drafted.
“Any companies thinking of taking advantage of a fast-track process that shortcuts our democracy and overrides environmental protections should be well aware that a Green Government could result in a loss of consent, without compensation,” says Lan Pham.
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