The Government has released a list of 149 projects it will refer to expert panels for consent as part of the Fast-Track Approvals Bill which it plans to pass before the end of the year.
Minister for Infrastructure Chris Bishop said these projects would have significant regional or national benefits and would create a pipeline of economy boosting developments.
The list included 58 housing or land developments, 42 infrastructure projects, 22 renewable energy builds, 11 mines, eight quarries, and seven aquaculture farms.
Among the housing and land category were some miscellaneous projects such as a luxury golf resort development in Queenstown, a new roof for Eden Park, and a steel manufacturing plant in Waikato.
But Bishop said 44 of the 58 were housing developments and would together consent the construction of 55,000 homes to help address the housing crisis.
This compares to just 33,600 homes consented in the 12-months ended August this year, and a record of 50,000 consented in 2022.
Most controversial on the list will be the mining and quarrying projects which face stiff opposition from environmentalists such as Greenpeace.
The activist group said including Trans-Tasman Resources’ bid to mine sand from the Taranaki seabed was “especially concerning” as it had previously failed in court processes.
Trans-Tasman Resources withdrew from a Environmental Protection Authority hearing in March and was accused of pinning its hopes of being given a spot on the Fast-track list.
Straterra, a mining industry association, said the list acknowledged the regional and national significance of its sector.
"At a time when manufacturing and processing plants are closing in the regions, mining brings much needed jobs and money into regional communities, and exports to boost our trade deficit. Mining belongs on the fast-track list," it said.
Another source of controversy could be the expansion of Kings Quarry in Auckland, as people related to the business donated $55,000 to NZ First during the 2023 campaign.
Resources Minister Shane Jones has been a strong advocate for both the fast-track process and the mining industry.
He was unable to make the announcement on Sunday, apparently due to a delayed flight, but Bishop said strict conflict management processes were followed.
If a conflict of interest was identified, the decision to include a project on the list would be transferred to another minister — however, Bishop wouldn’t reveal whether this step had actually been required.
A political party having accepted a donation from an applicant did not constitute a conflict for the Government, he told reporters.
Readers can see the full list at this link.
We welcome your comments below. If you are not already registered, please register to comment
Remember we welcome robust, respectful and insightful debate. We don't welcome abusive or defamatory comments and will de-register those repeatedly making such comments. Our current comment policy is here.