Aotearoa Will Not Stand For Government’s Fast-Track Agenda – Maori Party

Over 27,000 submissions have been made to the Environment Select Committee regarding the Government’s proposed Fast Track Approvals Bill.

This bill is anti-Te Tiriti, anti-environment, and anti-mokopuna. It will give unbridled power to three Crown Ministers to sign off on the short-term extraction of our taiao without consultation or consent from the communities who will be affected. It represents the greatest threat to our Mana Motuhake to be proposed thus far by this Government.

“This legislation would eliminate Te Tiriti o Waitangi rights and the ability of the public to have any say over mining or infrastructure projects in their communities” said Te Pāti Māori co-leader and environment spokesperson Debbie Ngarewa-Packer.

“It will unleash activities like seabed mining onto our communities, despite every court ruling it unsafe. This is exactly why the Foreshore and Seabed Act was passed in 2004 – so that the government could sell our resources to multinational companies who care about nothing but profit.

“This is what the erosion of Te Tiriti o Waitangi looks like” Ngarewa-Packer said.

“This government is giving three of its own ministers unrestrained power to fast-track Aotearoa to environmental destruction for short term profit. If given their way they would turn our moana into an open cast mine and allow sewerage to be dumped into our awa.

“I want to make this clear: Te Pāti Māori will be repealing this bill and retrospectively revoking all fast-tracked consents when we are elected in 2026” said Ngarewa-Packer.

“This could be the last time we hear from our communities with regard to their taiao. I look forward to reading and listening intently to the concerns that will be raised in-person at the Environmental Select Committee.

“I am also looking forward receiving mana whenua next week, who will be leading a protest to Parliament at 1pm on Wednesday” Ngarewa-Packer said.