New Zealanders are incredibly proud of where we live and don’t want to see our beautiful forests, birds, and animals gone forever, just because some offshore companies want to make a quick buck.
That’s why news the National government isn’t listening to Kiwis’ concerns and stopping their damaging Fast-Track Approvals Bill isn’t going down well.
Nor is the revelation we aren’t going to meet our climate change targets.
Tens of thousands of people have marched and submitted against the Fast-Track Bill and for more to be done for climate change.
National is showing just how out of touch they are with New Zealanders and the risks facing our precious plants, animals, and environment as a result of their reckless choices.
Experts and environmental organisations are worried, because ministers should not be making these decisions, nor are they qualified to.
Projects should be signed off by an independent panel of experts, to ensure decisions are rational and unaffected by conflicts of interest.
Among the companies invited to apply for fast-track consenting were some that have made large campaign donations to National and New Zealand First.
It has also been revealed that Shane Jones planned and attended an undeclared dinner with mining company bosses while visiting the South Island’s West Coast.
Mr Jones has also repeatedly stated he has little regard for the impact on threatened species, saying "if there is a mining opportunity and it’s impeded by a blind frog, goodbye, Freddy".
While three ministers are handed this unprecedented power, communities that will be affected by these projects, including iwi and hapū, will not have input into developments that will affect them.
Plus, the Bill could revive "zombie" projects that have previously been declined by the Environmental Court for being destructive or risky.
In government, Labour proved we can look after our environment, while progressing with projects that benefit our communities.
We sped up approvals and reduced the cost of consenting for school buildings, housing, clean energy initiatives, and green areas to absorb water in a flood.
These projects were approved by independent panels and worked with nature, rather than against it.
National’s first Budget revealed over $3 billion of cuts to climate-related projects.
This includes scrapping research and work on climate adaptation, cutting habitat restoration projects and pest control initiated by Jobs for Nature, hundreds of job losses at the Ministry for the Environment, and defunding community projects and advocacy.
National’s "Emissions Reductions Plan" will see us blowing our budget by 17 million tonnes — the equivalent of 153 million car trips from Wellington to Auckland.
It undoes all the good work Labour did in government to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and ensure we meet our climate targets.
Across Aotearoa and here in the Taieri electorate we should be building an economy that supports our communities, creates jobs, protects nature and builds infrastructure that lasts.
It’s clear the National government doesn’t care about our environment or our future.
