Environmentalists, trade expert at odds over Government’s Fast Track Bill
Proposed ‘Fast Track’ legislation to accelerate major projects could put New Zealand in breach of its latest free trade deals, an environmental lobby group claims.
Forest & Bird cites clauses in the UK and European Union free trade agreements requiring environmental protections and due process for feedback as in conflict with the Fast Track Bill, which creates a “one-stop shop” for consents and approvals on some big infrastructure and development projects.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) did not provide advice before the bill was read in parliament, in a move a trade expert labelled “highly unusual”, though he doubts the proposed legislation will breach free trade agreements.
The FTA with the UK, which took effect in June last year, was estimated to boost exports to the UK by 50 percent, and add $1 billion a year to the economy.
The EU deal, which takes effect in May, is expected to deliver new quota opportunities worth more than $600 million in annual export earnings, with an eight-fold increase to the amount of beef able to be sold into Europe.
Both agreements have clauses requiring environmental protections to be upheld. The EU trade agreement also requires ample time for public and advocacy groups to give feedback on environment impact assessments for mining projects.
Traditionally, trade agreements have attempted to ensure countries don’t have unfair advantages over each other by banning subsidies paid to industries, or removing tariffs. The new environmental conditions are designed to address countries having an unfair advantage from companies being exempted from environmental laws.
The Fast Track Approvals Bill, which passed its first reading on 7 March, allows selected projects to sidestep current rules in place to protect the environment. It also explicitly stops expert panels considering projects from seeking input from the public or advocacy groups.
Keey says there are a number of clauses in the free trade agreements which fast-tracking approval may breach, depending on what projects get approved and what conditions are placed on them. It’s still seeking advice on individual conditions, “but there’s a really clear principle in both the European and UK trade agreements with New Zealand that countries shouldn’t undermine environmental protections to promote trade and investment”.
Oh sweet resurrected Christ, this would just be tumeke wouldn’t it?
A Free Trade deal that stops our Government from trashing our environment?
There is a God and she clearly has a sense of sardonic humour.
Watching the Free Market Goons inside ACT, National and NZ First attempt to explain why we shouldn’t be compelled to abide by Free Trade Deals they slavishly worship will be like watching White Christian Nationalists finding out Jesus was black.
This is a predicament for the new Government that they deserve.
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Whose Is The Hand …. N8V child https://youtu.be/vZHoz0IRAyU
Who has the right? …. not the frigging ‘right’
“…will be like watching White Christian Nationalists finding out Jesus was black.”
Ba ha haha ! Too much indeed!
What a fucking ugly line-up. So, who voted for them again?
We don’t need to worry about trade, we manufacture food and wool etc for export for Christs sake. ( Yep. Talking about you mate. ) so we’re well in demand. Any pretence of there being tricky trade windows to leap through are fucking lies perpetrated by exploitative liars with dodgy as fuck histories to hide. Aye boys?
And that’s how come 14 multi-billionaires, 3118 multi-millionaires with wealth in excess of $50 million net each
and four now foreign owned banks stealing $180.00 a second net 24/7/365 mostly from an artificially jacked up domestic property market. And on that note, our domestic property market is effectively a money laundering scam and the arse could fall out of it before I finish this sentence…
And can I just write a wee Easter thank you to the fabulous The Daily Blog. Nowhere else could I write this. So thank you. xx
You guys should do a line of merch and swag with TDB logo on it. A simple black T shirt, long and short sleeve and maybe a cap? AS Colour do a quality blank. ( No plug meant for any particular manufacturer intended.) I wear caps but the Castro kind. Not that dippy base ball button kind of thing. And stickers! TDB stickers would be awesome. We could stick them all over bankster buildings! Those of us with extreme sticker skills could stealthily stick one on luxon’s bald head. He’d never know!
Oh this would be another bit of delicious fomentation by gummint with added mint. I must away to mow the lawn or one of the jobs. But I’ll save it – like a crunchie bar for later.