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74-552: The Fast-track Approvals Bill is a proposed New Zealand Act of Parliament that seeks to establish a permanent fast track approvals regime for a range of infrastructure, housing and development projects. The Bill is part of the National-led coalition government 's efforts to overhaul resource management legislation. The Bill was first introduced into the New Zealand Parliament on 7 March 2024. The Fast-track Approvals Bill

148-525: A non-governmental organisation (NGO). The trust was governed by a 12-member board plus a chairman, and they first met in 1955. The National Historic Places Trust came under the responsibility of the Minister of Internal Affairs . The composition of the board was defined in the legislation and the board was appointed on the recommendation of the minister. The name of the organisation was changed to New Zealand Historic Places Trust in 1963. Early work undertaken by

222-623: A background in the hard sciences or mining industry. Tapsell, who is of Ngāti Whakaue / Waikato Tainui descent, provided a Māori perspective on the advisory group. By late August 2024, the Government had received 384 applications to be included in the Fast-track bill. Of this figure, 40% were for housing and urban development projects, 24% for infrastructure projects, 18% for renewable energy projects, 8% for primary industry projects, and 5% for mining projects. On 6 October 2024, Bishop announced that

296-660: A coal mine at Mount Te Kuha near Westport . Multinational mining company OceanaGold has expressed interest in mining part of Wharekirauponga Forest Park in the Coromandel Peninsula for gold despite the presence of Archey's frogs. Water Holdings has sought to flood a section of land in the central Hawke's Bay 's Ruataniwha plains in order to build a dam. All four projects have attracted opposition from conservation groups including Greenpeace Aotearoa New Zealand , Forest & Bird , Coromandel Watchdog of Hauraki and Wise Water Use Hawke's Bay. On 9 April, Bishop clarified that

370-490: A livelihood, their entitlement to live peacefully with their environment but derive an income to meet the costs of raising families in regional New Zealand." In response to concerns that mining in the Ruataniwha plains would affect the endangered Archey's frog , Jones had said "if there is a mining opportunity and it's impeded by a blind frog, goodbye, Freddy." In March 2024, Transport Minister Simeon Brown had announced that

444-707: A margin of 68 (National, ACT and NZ First) to 49 (Labour and Greens) votes to accept the amendments recommended by the Environment select committee. The bill passed its second reading by a margin of 68 to 54 votes. While National, ACT and NZ First supported the Bill, it was opposed by the Labour, Green parties and Te Pāti Māori. On 3 April 2024, the New Zealand Government opened the initial fast track application process, which concluded on 3 May 2024. By 12 April, RNZ reported that

518-401: A number of stages before it can become law. In theory, this allows the bill's provisions to be debated in detail, and for amendments to the original bill to also be introduced, debated, and agreed to. In bicameral parliaments, a bill that has been approved by the chamber into which it was introduced then sends the bill to the other chamber. Broadly speaking, each chamber must separately agree to

592-581: A permanent fast-track approvals regime for projects of national and regional significance in New Zealand. The regime's process involves several joint ministers including the Minister for Infrastructure , Minister of Transport , Minister for Regional Development , Minister of Conservation , and the Minister Responsible for the Crown Minerals Act. First, companies and other groups would apply to

666-407: A private member's bill). In Australia, the bill passes through the following stages: In Canada, the bill passes through the following stages: The committee considers each clause of the bill, and may make amendments to it. Significant amendments may be made at the committee stage. In some cases, whole groups of clauses are inserted or removed. However, if the Government holds a majority, almost all

740-560: A quorum of four members and must include one person nominated by relevant local authorities and one person nominated by relevant iwi (tribal) authorities. An expert panel consists of a former High Court or Environment Court judge serving as a "convener", a lawyer or planner as a "chairperson," a local authority representative, an environment expert, an iwi /tribal authority representative in cases involving Treaty of Waitangi settlements, and someone with Māori development and te ao Māori (Māori worldview) expertise. The panel will consult

814-470: A six-week period. Due to the large volume of submitters, the committee decided to filter the number of oral submissions using a ballot system. Companies and entities will be given ten minutes to make their submissions while individuals will be given five minutes. Since conservation groups such as Forest & Bird and the Environmental Defence Society sent their supporters template messages,

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888-572: A specific chamber. For example, bills imposing a tax , or involving public expenditure , are introduced into the House of Commons in the United Kingdom, Canada's House of Commons , Lok Sabha of India and Ireland's Dáil as a matter of law. Conversely, bills proposed by the Law Commission and consolidation bills traditionally start in the House of Lords . Once introduced, a bill must go through

962-536: A sufficient timeframe for providing feedback on the environment impact of mining projects. Forest & Bird spokesperson Geoff Keey said "it was really a bill to override environmental laws. It's not really fast tracking." Similar concerns were raised by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) New Zealand chief executive Dr Kayla Kingdon-Bebb. In early May 2024, the United Kingdom Government confirmed that it

1036-459: A total of 149 projects had been selected for fast tracking through the Government's Fast-track Approvals Bill (see the list ). This included 44 housing developments, 7 aquaculture and farming projects, 43 infrastructure projects, 22 renewable energy projects and 11 mining projects. Notable projects included the redevelopment of the Eden Park sporting facility, Trans-Tasman Resources' seabed mining and

1110-685: Is a Crown entity that advocates for the protection of ancestral sites and heritage buildings in New Zealand . It was set up through the Historic Places Act 1954 with a mission to "...promote the identification, protection, preservation and conservation of the historical and cultural heritage of New Zealand" and is an autonomous Crown entity. Its current enabling legislation is the Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga Act 2014. Charles Bathurst, 1st Viscount Bledisloe gifted

1184-589: Is presented to the Governor General , who gives it royal assent . Although the Governor General can refuse to assent a bill, this power has never been exercised. Bills being reviewed by Parliament are assigned numbers: 2 to 200 for government bills, 201 to 1000 for private member's bills , and 1001 up for private bills . They are preceded by C- if they originate in the House of Commons, or S- if they originate in

1258-610: The 2023 New Zealand general election , the National Party formed a coalition with the libertarian ACT and populist New Zealand First parties. As part of National's coalition agreement with NZ First, the Sixth National Government agreed to establish a new fast-track consenting regime to "improve the speed and process for resource approvals for major infrastructure projects, unlocking opportunities in industries such as aquaculture and mining in our region." Members of

1332-535: The Environment Minister and other relevant ministers. The Infrastructure Minister has the power to decline the project at this stage. An earlier draft version had proposed splitting the decision-making process among the Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development Ministers. Third, the independent panel will consult with the applicant and directly affected parties, and can choose to approve or decline

1406-546: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) did not provide advice on the Fast-track Approvals Bill before its first parliamentary reading on 7 March 2024. An MFAT spokesperson confirmed that it had prepared advice regarding the bill after 11 March but would not share it due to "legal professional privilege." In addition, the Ministry for the Environment provided advice around the Bill's international obligations in

1480-450: The Bill for eliminating environmental protections, increasing the risk of pollution and climate change and undermining Māori land rights and Treaty of Waitangi obligations. It passed its first reading on the same day by a margin of 68 to 55 along party lines; with the National, ACT and NZ First parties supporting the legislation and the Labour, Green parties and Te Pāti Māori opposing it. It

1554-575: The Fast-track Approvals legislation could marginalise local voices, violate Treaty of Waitangi commitments, adversely affect human and environmental health, expose ministers to legal risks, approve prohibited projects and erode the value of Conservation land. While the Ministry supported a standalone fast-track bill, it did not think that "this version was neither the cheapest, nor the fastest." On 25 August, Cabinet agreed to recommend five changes to

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1628-511: The Fast-track approvals bill. Shane Jones identified conflicts of interest with eight projects including Te Aupouri Fisheries Management Ltd, James Murray Aquaculture Ltd, Taharoa Iron Sands Ltd (three projects), Kings Quarry Ltd, Katikati Quarries Ltd and Matamata Metal Supplies. Chris Bishop also transferred oversight of Winton Land Limited's development in Auckland to Simeon Brown due to a conflict of interest. A May 2024 1News poll found 40% support

1702-472: The Government for their projects to be fast-tracked. Second, the Infrastructure Minister would assess the application against a set of criteria and then decide whether to refer the project for assessment to an expert panel. The application must include information about prior decisions by other approving authorities including court decisions. The Infrastructure Minister is also required to consult with

1776-628: The Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop had responded to 200 inquiries by organisations seeking information on how to apply for the fast track process. Notable applicants included Trans Tasman Resources (TTR), Stevenson Mining, OceanaGold and Water Holdings. TTR has sought permission from the Environmental Protection Authority to launch offshore mining in Taranaki while Stevenson Mining has sought consent for

1850-648: The Irish Parliament, the Oireachtas , bills pass through the following stages. Bills may be initiated in either the Dáil or the Seanad, and must pass both houses. In New Zealand, the bill passes through the following stages: A draft piece of legislation is called a bill ; when this is passed by Parliament it becomes an act and part of statute law. There are two types of bill and act, public and private . Public acts apply to

1924-779: The Magistrate's Court Act 1980 (c. 43). Until the 1980s, acts of the Australian state of Victoria were numbered in a continuous sequence from 1857; thus the Age of Majority Act 1977 was No. 9075 of 1977. Heritage New Zealand Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga (initially the National Historic Places Trust and then, from 1963 to 2014, the New Zealand Historic Places Trust ; in Māori : Pouhere Taonga )

1998-476: The National-led coalition government have advocated the Fast-track approvals Bill due to their frustration with environmental protections for delaying or obstructing several major infrastructure projects. The Regional Development Minister Shane Jones said "Gone are the days of the multicoloured skink , the kiwi , many other species that have been weaponised to deny regional New Zealand communities their right to

2072-510: The New Zealand Historic Places Trust became an autonomous Crown entity. On 14 April 2014, the organisation's name changed to "Heritage New Zealand". Later that year, the enabling legislation—Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga Act 2014—was passed. There were changes in governance introduced by the new legislation, e.g. the branch committees were dispensed with. The legislation, which came into effect on 20 May 2014, also finished

2146-631: The Senate. For example, Bill C-250 was a private member's bill introduced in the House. Bills C-1 and S-1 are pro forma bills, and are introduced at the beginning of each session in order to assert the right of each Chamber to manage its own affairs. They are introduced and read a first time, and then are dropped from the Order Paper . In the Parliament of India , every bill passes through following stages before it becomes an Act of Parliament of India : In

2220-489: The Waitaha Hydro Project. Labour's acting environmental spokesperson David Parker and Environmental Defence Society CEO Gary Taylor criticised the inclusion of several "environmentally questionable" projects including Trans-Tasman Resources' seabed mining and the Waitaha Hydro Project. On 11 October, the Government released the independent Advisory Group's report on the 384 projects which had applied to be listed in

2294-412: The amendments which are agreed to in committee will have been tabled by the Government to correct deficiencies in the bill or to enact changes to policy made since the bill was introduced (or, in some cases, to import material which was not ready when the bill was presented). The debate on each stage is actually debate on a specific motion. For the first reading, there is no debate. For the second reading,

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2368-433: The applicant and "directly-affected parties" such as relevant ministers, local councils, landowners, occupiers and requiring authorities on or adjacent to the land, and other parties considered relevant by the panel. While an earlier version of the legislation had given a six months consultation timeframe, this was extended following the select committee stage to allow more directly-affected parties to participate. Following

2442-514: The bill in his parliamentary submission. He advocated a "balancing exercise" between economic development and environmental protection. Energy Resources Aotearoa policy director Craig Barry argued that the fast-track approvals legislation was needed since "it has become difficult for projects to gain approval within reasonable time-frames [under the current resource consent process], even for those projects with demonstrable benefits." Foodstuffs New Zealand government relations head Melissa Hodd supported

2516-471: The bill, 41% opposed and 19% unsure. A June 2024 Taxpayers Union-Curia poll found 44% of respondents were in support, 32% opposed it and 24% were unsure. Men and people who voted for the coalition parties were much more likely to say they supported it. An August 2024 Horizon Research poll organized by Greenpeace found 40% think it is a bad idea, 30% a good idea and 30% unsure. In late March 2024 Sanders Unsworth consultancy partner Charles Finny, who served as

2590-423: The calendar year, with the first act passed being chapter 1, and so on. In the United Kingdom, legislation has referenced by year and chapter number since 1963 ( Acts of Parliament Numbering and Citation Act 1962 ). Each act is numbered consecutively based on the date it received royal assent, for example the 43rd act passed in 1980 would be 1980 chapter 43. The full reference includes the (short) title and would be

2664-625: The committee opted to prioritise hearing from individuals who made unique submissions. Opposition Green Party MP Lan Pham and Labour MP Rachel Brooking objected to the ballot system, saying it would limit public input on the legislation. In his submission John Ryan, the Controller and Auditor-General of New Zealand , expressed concern that the Bill did not require the Joint Ministers to comply with its conflict of interest mechanism, provide reasoning for approving an application or dissenting with

2738-435: The criteria for both "eligible" and "ineligible" projects. Eligible projects must have significant national or local benefits including delivering significant economic benefits, supporting industries, the development of natural resources and climate change mitigation, and addressing environmental issues. Ineligible projects are activities that occur on land returned under a Treaty of Waitangi settlement, that has been contested by

2812-529: The expert panel's recommendations, and called for stronger transparency and accountability safeguards in the legislation. Similarly Chief Ombudsman Peter Boshier expressed concern that the fast-track consenting regime would create "enormous executive powers" and opined it needed more "checks and balances." The New Zealand Infrastructure Commission and the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment , Simon Upton , have both raised concerns about

2886-483: The fast-track approval process would consist of six members: Pukeroa Oruawhata Trust chair person and lawyer David Tapsell, Hamilton city planning manager Mark Davey, former Treasury manager and ACC board deputy chairperson David Hunt, civil engineer Rosie Mercer, former Carter Holt Harvey environmental manager Murray Parrish and seafood industry veteran Vaughan Wilkinson. According to The Post , most of these individuals came from business backgrounds with none having

2960-476: The fast-track approvals process would accelerate the construction of pro-environment and de-carbonisation initiatives like wind farms and solar farms. Act of Parliament A draft act of parliament is known as a bill . In other words, a bill is a proposed law that needs to be discussed in the parliament before it can become a law. In territories with a Westminster system , most bills that have any possibility of becoming law are introduced into parliament by

3034-536: The first debate National Party MP and Minister for RMA Reform Chris Bishop , ACT Party MP Simon Court , Minister for Resources Shane Jones and Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka gave speeches arguing that Bill would eliminate red tape and ease the process for building essential infrastructure such as road, housing, public transportation, mines and renewable energy. By contrast, opposition Labour MPs Rachel Brooking , Green co-leader James Shaw and Te Pāti Māori co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer criticised

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3108-468: The following stages: There are special procedures for emergency bills, member's bills (similar to private member's bills in the UK Parliament), committee bills, and private bills. In Singapore, the bill passes through these certain stages before becoming into an Act of Parliament. Acts passed by the Parliament of England did not originally have titles, and could only be formally cited by reference to

3182-478: The form of a Regulatory Impact Statement, which was not publicly available. Conservation group Forest & Bird expressed concern that the Fast-track bill could breach clauses in New Zealand's free trade agreements with both the United Kingdom and European Union requiring environmental protections and due process for feedback. The NZ-EU trade agreement requires that the public and advocacy groups be given

3256-754: The generic email sent to 200 organisations was not a "formal invite" to participate in the fast-track consent process after TTR released a statement on 8 April stating that it had been invited to apply for the fast-track consenting process under the proposed Fast-track Approvals Bill, which was in its Select Committee stage at the time. On 19 April, the Government released a list of about 200 organisations that it had provided information on how to apply for fast-track consents. These organisations included district councils, iwi (tribal) groups, mining companies, housing developers, power companies, and fisheries. In late May 2024, The Post newspaper reported that an expert advisory group advising ministers on what should be included in

3330-534: The government. This will usually happen following the publication of a " white paper ", setting out the issues and the way in which the proposed new law is intended to deal with them. A bill may also be introduced into parliament without formal government backing; this is known as a private member's bill . In territories with a multicameral parliament, most bills may be first introduced in any chamber. However, certain types of legislation are required, either by constitutional convention or by law, to be introduced into

3404-731: The issue of how historic buildings should be cared for. Duncan Rae , the MP representing the Parnell electorate, suggested that a heritage organisation should be set up and put in a private member's bill . Whilst this did not proceed, the First National Government (of which he was a member) took responsibility of the issue and the Historic Places Act 1954 was passed, which established the National Historic Places Trust as

3478-533: The land owner, Māori customary land and reservations, a protected customary rights area, aquaculture areas protected by iwi settlements and Section 12 of the Māori Commercial Aquaculture Claims Settlement Act 2004 , and open ocean projects prohibited by international law. Heritage New Zealand must also be consulted on archaeological decisions. The Bill outlines the purpose, functions and composition of "expert panels." Panels have

3552-587: The lead negotiator for the New Zealand–China Free Trade Agreement disagreed with conservation group Forest & Bird 's position that the fast-track approval bill would clash with the environmental provisions of New Zealand's free trade agreements with the UK and EU. He said that the expert panels would help safeguard environmental considerations within the legislation's framework. In May 2024, BusinessNZ economist John Pask suggested some tweaks to

3626-704: The legislation allows ministers to overrule the expert panels' recommendations. The Fast-track Approvals legislation would allow applicants to bypass the usual consenting process and gain an exemption or approval from various laws including the Resource Management Act 1991 , Conservation Act 1987 , Wildlife Act 1953 , Reserves Act 1977 , Freshwater Fisheries Regulations 1983 , Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga Act 2014 , Exclusive Economic Zone and Continental Shelf (Environmental Effects) Act 2012 , land access under Crown Minerals Act 1991 , Public Works Act 1981 and Fisheries Act 1996 . The Bill also outlines

3700-546: The legislation to the Environment Select Committee. First, an expert panel rather than ministers would be responsible for approving fast-track projects. Second, projects would be referred to an expert panel by the Infrastructure Minister, who would be required to consult with the Environment Minister and other relevant portfolio ministers during the referral process. Third, the timeframes for consultation at

3774-402: The legislation. In addition, Upton expressed concerns that the proposed legislation downgraded both the environment and the role of the Environment Minister , could lead to sup-optimal outcomes through poor decision making, and heightened litigation risk. The Commissioner recommended significant changes to the Bill. The Ministry for the Environment expressed concern that the current version of

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3848-478: The longevity of the proposed legislation, with both suggesting that commercial projects be excluded from the scope. Both the Infrastructure Commission and Upton suggested that focusing on projects that have benefits for the public (e.g. roading, electricity generation and electricity transmission) would result in a broader public buy-in, increasing the chances that subsequent governments would not overturn

3922-550: The motion is "That this bill be now read a second time and be referred to [name of committee]" and for third reading "That this bill be now read a third time and pass." In the Committee stage, each clause is called and motions for amendments to these clauses, or that the clause stand part of the bill are made. In the Report stage, the debate is on the motions for specific amendments. Once a bill has passed both Houses in an identical form, it

3996-426: The parliamentary session in which they were passed, with each individual act being identified by year and chapter number. Descriptive titles began to be added to the enrolled acts by the official clerks, as a reference aid; over time, titles came to be included within the text of each bill. Since the mid-nineteenth century, it has also become common practice for acts to have a short title , as a convenient alternative to

4070-534: The project. Even if a project is approved, it may have to comply with certain conditions including protecting the environment and mitigating damage caused by the project. An earlier version of the bill had given Ministers the power to approve projects but was removed during the Select Committee stage. Ministerial approval had been a point of contention for opponents of the fast-track approvals legislation particularly environmental groups who have expressed concern that

4144-424: The proposed Fast-track Approvals Bill, saying that the fast-track consenting "would enable just three Government Ministers to approve development projects more quickly, by bypassing planning legislation and the checks and balances that are in place." The advocacy group advocated its commitment to fighting to protect people and nature regardless of the Government's actions. Greenpeace's parliamentary submission denounced

4218-453: The proposed bill would "allow big corporations to do anything they want in Aotearoa, without any say from the public, iwi, hapū, environmental experts and communities." Iwi members presented trees and a petition to Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka and RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. On 12 May, Environmental Defence Society spokesperson and lawyer Raewyn Peart expressed concern that

4292-444: The proposed fast-track approvals legislation would help facilitate the Government's stated goal of building 15 "Roads of National Significance." Similarly, Infrastructure New Zealand chief executive Nick Leggett stated that "fast-tracking roading projects could save significant up-front costs and give communities benefits sooner." The Fast-track Approvals Bill was first introduced into the New Zealand Parliament on 7 March 2024. During

4366-528: The proposed legislation as "anti-democratic, anti-transparency, vulnerable to corruption and lacking any semblance of environmental protection". It criticised the fast-track process for giving three ministers the power to approve or deny development projects. On 8 May 2024, the Māori iwi (tribe) Ngāti Toa Rangatira organised a protest march against the Fast-track Approvals Bill outside the New Zealand Parliament grounds. The iwi'schief executive Helmut Modlik said that

4440-488: The proposed legislation could allow projects to be built with fewer environment checks and said that it harked back to Think Big projects of the Third National Government . The historian Dame Anne Salmond 's submission condemned the proposed Bill's alleged "utter disregard for democracy" and described it as hostile to the environment. She claimed that the proposed legislation lacked any party mandate since it

4514-469: The proposed legislation, saying "it believed it could help it develop additional supermarkets faster." In June, Taxpayers' Union policy and public affairs manager James Ross said: "New Zealand's economy is limping along and we need to get building again. "That can only happen with wholesale planning reform but, for now, this Bill offers a partial stop-gap solution to get the country's cogs turning." On 14 March 2024, Greenpeace Aotearoa New Zealand objected to

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4588-748: The quarterly magazine Heritage New Zealand . Buildings owned by Heritage New Zealand include the Kerikeri Mission House , the Stone Store , Hurworth Cottage , and the Te Waimate Mission house. The New Zealand Heritage List / Rārangi Kōrero (formerly known as the Register) is divided into five main areas: The historic places are organised in two categories: As of 2014 , the register contains over 5,600 entries. The Canterbury earthquakes of September 2010 and February 2011 resulted in damage to

4662-517: The referral and panel stages would be extended to give more time for those affected by the projects to participate. Fourth, expert panels would include individuals with expertise on environmental, Māori development and te ao Māori issues. Iwi/tribal authority representatives would only be included in the panels if required by Treaty of Waitangi settlements. Fifth, applicants would be required to provide information on previous decisions by approving authorities including court decisions in their applications to

4736-520: The referring minister. Labour and the Greens' environmental spokespersons Rachel Brooking and Lan Pham described the changes as insufficient to addressing the environmental impact of these projects. Te Rūnanga O Toa Rangatira chief executive Helmut Modlik welcomed the Government for addressing iwi concerns but expressed concerns about the Government's preference to only consult certain iwi based on Treaty settlements. On 13 November 2024, Parliament voted by

4810-473: The same version of the bill. Finally, the approved bill receives assent; in most territories this is merely a formality and is often a function exercised by the head of state . In some countries, such as in France, Belgium, Luxembourg , Spain and Portugal, the term for a bill differs depending on whether it is initiated by the government (when it is known as a "draft"), or by the parliament (a "proposition", i.e.,

4884-578: The site where the Treaty of Waitangi was signed to the nation in 1932. The subsequent administration through the Waitangi Trust is sometimes seen as the beginning of formal heritage protection in New Zealand. Public discussion about heritage protection occurred in 1940 in conjunction with the centenary of the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi. The purchase of Pompallier House in 1943 by the government further raised

4958-469: The sometimes lengthy main titles. The Short Titles Act 1892 , and its replacement the Short Titles Act 1896 , gave short titles to many acts which previously lacked them. The numerical citation of acts has also changed over time. The original method was based on the regnal year (or years) in which the relevant parliamentary session met. This has been replaced in most territories by simple reference to

5032-629: The transition from an NGO to a crown entity. It is governed by a board, appointed by the Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage and currently chaired by Hon. Marian Hobbs, and a Māori Heritage Council, currently chaired by Sir John Clarke. Past chairs include Dame Anne Salmond . The head office is in Antrim House , Wellington , while regional and area offices are in Kerikeri , Auckland , Tauranga , Wellington , Christchurch and Dunedin . It publishes

5106-585: The trust included the recording of Māori rock paintings , as some sites were to be submerged, e.g. through the Waipapa Dam and Benmore Dam . In 1961, the trust bought Te Waimate mission , the second-oldest building in New Zealand. In Akaroa , the trust enabled the Akaroa County Council via a significant grant to buy the Eteveneaux cottage , which serves as a link to Akaroa's French history. In 2004,

5180-553: The whole of the UK or a number of its constituent countries – England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Private acts are local and personal in their effect, giving special powers to bodies such as local authorities or making exceptions to the law in particular geographic areas. In the United Kingdom Parliament, each bill passes through the following stages: In the Scottish Parliament, bills pass through

5254-641: Was monitoring the passage of the Fast-track Approvals Bill after Liberal Democrats Member of Parliament Wera Hobhouse raised concerns abouts its impact on the New Zealand–United Kingdom Free Trade Agreement in the House of Commons . In response, Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop and Trade Minister Todd McClay downplayed concerns that the Bill would affect the NZ-UK free trade agreement, which they argued allowed governments to set their own environmental standards. Bishop claimed that

5328-556: Was part of New Zealand First 's coalition agreement with the incumbent National Party . The Bill has received support from business interests including BusinessNZ , Energy Resources Aotearoa and Foodstuffs . It has also attracted criticism from the opposition Labour , Green parties and Te Pāti Māori as well as environmentalist groups including Greenpeace Aotearoa New Zealand and the Environmental Defence Society . The Fast-track legislation also attracted several nationwide protests. The Fast-track Approvals Bill proposes to establish

5402-521: Was promoted by a minority party NZ First, which only gained 6% of the popular vote during the 2023 New Zealand general election . She also urged the governing National Party to honour its election promises to safeguarding New Zealand's natural environment, diversity, waters and landscapes for future generations. On 8 June, protests against the proposed legislation were held in Auckland , Whakatāne , Christchurch , Nelson , and Tākaka . In an unusual move,

5476-450: Was subsequently referred to the Environment select committee. The deadline for public submissions closed on 19 April 2024. By 14 May 2024, the Bill had received a total of 27,000 written submissions. 2,900 submitters asked to appear in-person before Parliament's environment select committee. Committee chair and National MP David McLeod said that the committee expected to hear from 1,100 submitters (550 organisations and 550 individuals) over

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