Why it matters
Background
On 7 March 2024 the Government introduced a new Bill to Parliament (under urgency) called the Fast-track Approvals Bill.
The Fast-track Approvals Bill is an omnibus bill. It proposes to establish a permanent fast track approvals regime for a range of infrastructure, housing and development projects that are considered to have significant regional or national benefits. Read more here.
Forest & Bird believes this new bill is anti-nature, anti-democracy, and will leave a mess for future governments to clean up.
The Bill will override the Conservation Act, Reserves Act, and Wildlife Act, as well as the RMA and law governing the Exclusive Economic Zone. It would also allow Ministers to refer developments – ranging from aquaculture, dams and mining as well as roading and housing – to an expert panel which only has the ability to make recommendations to the Minister. Ministers have the power to greenlight projects and ignore the panel as they see fit.
Donate now to support the fight for nature
If you'd like to get more involved in the campaign, by lobbying your MPs or organsing local events, email us on online@forestandbird.org.nz
Thank you to all 13,489 supporters who signed Forest & Bird's quick submission against the Fast-track Approvals Bill – and to all those who made full submissions against the Bill.
We're now calling on this Government to be open and transparent by releasing the full list of projects they plan to fast-track.
Read Forest & Bird's submission against the Fast-track Approvals Bill:
Submissions closed on Friday 19 April, but this fight is not over yet!
With your support we will continue to speak up.
Thank you for supporting the March for Nature
A big mihi from Forest & Bird to those of you who were able to join chief executive Nicola Toki and the team, as well as supporters from other environmental groups across Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, to March for Nature down Queen Street on Saturday 8 June in a peaceful protest against the Government’s Fast-track Approvals Bill and war on nature.
Over 20,000 joined the March for Nature down Queen Street to protest the Government’s Fast-track Approvals Bill. (Centre L-to-R behind the banner: Greenpeace Aotearoa executive director, Russell Norman, marching alongside Forest & Bird chief executive, Nicola Toki)
Yes, you heard right, there were more than 20,000 of you sending a clear message to government that we do not support this bill.
- Read Giant March For Nature fills Queen Street to oppose Luxon’s fast track bill
- Watch the Facebook video of the protest speeches
- Plus, OneNews coverage and Newshub coverage
Resources to help spread the word
Whether or not you were able to join us for the March for Nature, we would still love your support to raise the profile of the Fast-track Approvals bill in your local community.
Print out and put up posters
Choose from a range of designs and sizes made by Forest & Bird. Print 'em out and share 'em on noticeboards in your library, church, community centre, or in shop windows if retailers agree.
Note: If you are printing the posters on a home printer, we suggest you download and open with a PDF reader (such as Adobe). When printing you may have to tick 'fit to page' or 'shrink oversized pages' to ensure it prints as A4, depending on your set up.
Show me the posters
Share on social media
We've made some neat graphics featuring iconic New Zealand wildlife. Download and share to social media - and don't forget to include a message!
Show me the social media images
Remember you can also
- Follow us on socials to stay up-to-date with upcoming events and actions near you. There will be more on this very soon.
Donate to Stop the War on Nature.
This is our chance to show the coalition Government that we cannot stand by and allow precious and endangered wildlife be condemned to extinction, watch native forests be destroyed, or let rivers, lakes and oceans be polluted.
Background
On 7 March 2024 the Government introduced a new Bill to Parliament (under urgency) called the Fast-track Approvals Bill.
The Fast-track Approvals Bill is an omnibus bill. It proposes to establish a permanent fast track approvals regime for a range of infrastructure, housing and development projects that are considered to have significant regional or national benefits. Read more here.
Forest & Bird believes this new bill is anti-nature, anti-democracy, and will leave a mess for future governments to clean up.
The Bill will override the Conservation Act, Reserves Act, and Wildlife Act, as well as the RMA and law governing the Exclusive Economic Zone. It would also allow Ministers to refer developments – ranging from aquaculture, dams and mining as well as roading and housing – to an expert panel which only has the ability to make recommendations to the Minister. Ministers have the power to greenlight projects and ignore the panel as they see fit.
Learn more about what the Fast-track Approvals Bill means for te taiao nature
Read our Fast-track Approvals Bill Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ).
Media statements
- Govt love letter to mining companies is latest attack on nature (24 May 2024)
- Protest march against fast-track Bill announced for Auckland (9 May 2024)
- Bill would create large-scale environmental destruction (2 May 2024)
- Government forced to release its 'top secret' fast-track list (19 April 2024)
- Rip it up and start over – Fast-Track Approvals Bill needs to be scrapped (18 April 2024)
- Government chooses coal over climate (16 April 2024)
- DOC job cuts will have long-term consequences for nature (10 April)
- An open letter to Minister Bishop (15 March 2024)
- Fast track is outright assault on environment (7 March 2024)
- Abandoned mining appeal may mean fast track for coal (1 March 2024)
- No community safe under Government’s proposed fast-track consenting Bill (12 Feb 2024)
Forest & Bird in the media
- Tom Kay talks about job cuts at the Ministry for the Environment (ZB bulletins)
- Richard Capie talks about the Government's new mining strategy (Waatea)
- Richard Capie joins The Panel to talk about the Government's new mining strategy (RNZ)
- Geoff Key talks to 95bFM about the opposition to the Fast-track Approvals Bill (95bFM)
- Bishop backtracks after fast-track backlash (Newsroom)
- The problems with the Fast Track Approvals Bill (RNZ)
- The unprecedented power the government is handing three of its ministers under its new Fast Track Approval Bill (RNZ)
- List released of 200 organisations approached over fast track consents bill (Newshub)
- Government releases list of organisations shoulder-tapped for fast-track consents (RNZ)
- Forest & Bird on changes to coal mine consents (RNZ)
- Secrecy shrouds 'fast track' projects as submissions close (RNZ)
- Forest and Bird on Auckland's East-West link (RNZ)
- Which projects could be approved for quicker consent (RNZ)
- NZ's largest planned solar farm gets overseas investment consent, eyes fast-track approval (Newshub)
- Fast-track law will 'undermine environmental protections' - opposition (RNZ)
- Environmentalists slam new consent regime 'anti-nature' and "anti-democratic" (RNZ)
- Forest and Bird concerned over Govt Fast Track bill (RNZ)
- We can’t find the environmental group that was extensively consulted on the fast-track consenting bill (The Spinoff)
- Fast Track Approvals Bill w/ Group Manager for Conservation Advocacy at Forest & Bird, Richard Capie (95Bfm)
- Could it be 'game over' for world-famous bird pūteketeke? Forest and Bird says yes (Newshub)
- The unprecedented power the government is handing three of its ministers under its
new Fast Track Approval Bill (RNZ) - Lack of trade advice on fast-track bill ‘shows reckless disregard’ (Newsroom)
- 'Fast Track Bill' could breach free trade deals, environmentalists claim (RNZ)
What can you do
We're facing our biggest ever fight for Aotearoa New Zealand’s environment and we need your help to stop this anti-democratic, anti-nature law!
Submissions closed on Friday 19 April, but you can still send a letter to your local MP demanding to see the list of developments that may be coming to your community (and that Government is still refusing to confirm).
It's important that local MPs, especially those that are part of the Coalition Government, know that their constituents oppose this Bill. The best way of doing that right now is writing to them directly. To make things easy, we've created a template letter you can use to write them. You can download it using the link below.
Previous resources on making submissions
Watch our fast-track webinar (21 March 2024)
Watch our submission workshop webinar (4 April 2024)
Our oral submission to the Environment Select Committee - 2 May 2024
Read our fast-track submission guide.
