New act will fast track resource consents in New Zealand

Cabinet has approved an act that will see resource consents fast-tracked in the future, which is due to be passed this June.

Under this act, public consultation and council involvement on consents will be scraped to be replaced by the sage wisdom of a panel of “experts” governed by an environmental judge.

The aim of this act is to boost the economy, rather than safe guard the environment or allow the people of New Zealand a say on what our country will look like when it comes to man-made infrastructure. Some large scale projects will be green lit automatically, with the panel only stipulating the conditions.

Public opinion on what is happening with these large scale consents will be muffled. The leader of the ACT party, David Seymour called the people who have an opinion on environmental issues “professional protestors.”

“In a lot of cases the ability of people who have nothing to do with the project ... to object and obstruct for the sake of it - good riddance if that's gone.” - David Seymour, Act Party Leader.

Because apparently to have an opinion when you are not a politician makes you a muppet here in New Zealand.

The Environment minister, David Parker, has said that this is not to be in place forever, citing that a sunset clause being included.

“There will be people who would be very disturbed if we were going to forever take these decisions out of the hands of councils with rights of public participation and centralise everything and I personally think that would be going too far.” - David Parker, Minster of Environment.

Frankly David, having public opinion and the right to voice dissent on land modification silenced is disturbing for any length of time. Having a two year cap on this, does not negate the fact that this is a step in a direction of less government transparency when it comes to New Zealand natural resources.

Perhaps we need to start learning to respect nature for what it is, rather than trying to beat her into submission for a quick buck.

Jen Miller, of Forest and Bird, voiced her concerns on the lack of transparency and clarity about what this legislation would mean exactly for the environment. Especially when it comes to the long term effects that these projects may have on the environment. Though, David Parker has assured that the environment will remain the top priority when it comes to this process. A message that rings hollow with his rhetoric on economic boosting, job creation, and green lighting of big projects.