Changes to the Fast-track Approvals Bill

... Cabinet has agreed to recommend the following changes to the Fast-track Approvals Bill to the Environment Committee:

• Projects will be referred to an expert panel by the Minister for Infrastructure alone, who will be required to consult the Minister for the Environment and other relevant portfolio Ministers as part of that referral process.
• Final decisions on projects will not sit with Ministers but with the expert panel. This is the same as the previous Labour government’s fast-track process.
• Expert panels will include expertise in environmental matters; will include an iwi authority representative only when required by Treaty settlements; and will include Māori development expertise in place of mātauranga Māori.
• Applicants will be required to include information on previous decisions by approving authorities, including previous court decisions, in their applications for the referring Minister to consider.
• Timeframes for comment at the referral and panel stages will be extended in order to give parties, including those impacted by a proposed project, more time to provide comments.

“The Fast Track Approvals Bill is currently before the Environment Select Committee for consideration. Cabinet has recommended the above changes to the Committee, and the Committee will decide whether or not to accept them.” ...

See also

Fast-track Approvals Bill