Stand against the Fast-Track Approvals Bill
New Zealand prides itself on its democratic processes, for good reason. In 2023, New Zealand ranked as the sixth most electoral democratic country in the world.
However, this status is at risk. The New Zealand Government recently rushed the Fast-Track Approvals Bill through parliament which threatens to abolish the vital process of public consultation on large-scale infrastructure projects and resource consents.
In its simplest terms, this proposed legislation would strip away the ability for the public to have a say on intensive barns, winter grazing, fish farms, marine developments, and dairy intensification; operations which are already associated with significant welfare issues for animals.
Further, the Bill grants unchecked authority to a select group of Ministers – opening the door to political corruption.
We cannot afford to let this Bill pass unchallenged.
Join us in opposing the Fast-Track Approvals Bill and advocating for a future where environmental protection and democratic participation are upheld.
Submissions are now closed (from the 19th of April 2024), thank you to everyone who made a submission. If you’d like to see the key points we and our supporters used for our submissions, please see below:
Key points used in submissions:
I strongly oppose the Fast-Track Approvals Bill due to its potential impacts on animal welfare, environmental wellbeing, and democratic integrity.
This Bill undermines the crucial process of public consultation on resource consents including large-scale farming projects like feedlots, fish farms, winter grazing sites, and other intensive dairy developments – operations in which animals are already suffering detrimental welfare outcomes.
The Bill gives unbridled power to a small group of Ministers and restricts input from experts, mana whenua, advocacy organisations and members of the public. This is an erosion of democratic participation, and a reprehensible step backward for animal, human, indigenous and environmental rights.
I believe this Bill would thwart environmental and animal welfare considerations during the consent approval process, exposing countless more animals to potential harm and compromising our already fragile natural environment.
Dairy farming in Aotearoa is already on a dangerous trajectory marked by unsafe drinking water, unswimmable waterways, biodiversity loss, and rampant animal suffering. The further intensification of dairy production, facilitated by this Bill, would have dire consequences for animals, the environment, and human health.
Farmed salmon in New Zealand are confined in overcrowded and waste-ridden water. They suffer from bone deformities and skin lesions, are subjected to extreme heat stress, and die in mass mortality events every year. The fast-tracked approval of more fish farms, without due consideration for animal welfare, is alarming.
Ensuring robust standards of animal and environmental protection should be absolute bottom-lines in the consent approval process. Removing all checks and balances for animals and the environment is gravely unjust.
I urge you to reject the Fast-Track Approvals Bill to uphold the values that make Aotearoa a beacon of democracy and environmental stewardship.
Reminder: Submissions are now closed.