Parliament is expected to pass the Fast-track Approvals Bill into law in the next few days.

The bill attracted about 27,000 submissions, mostly opposed. “It creates a fast-track, one-stop-shop for consenting projects of significant regional or national benefit and overrides environmental standards,” said EDS CEO Gary Taylor. “There have been some welcome changes to it since introduction. Notably, final decision-making on approvals has been shifted away from Ministers and placed in the hands of expert panels.”

Taylor adds: “The Bill retains several significant flaws that collectively mean that if enacted in its present form would make it the worst environmental legislation in our history, with scope for bad projects with significant adverse impacts to get approved. The biggest flaw is the biased purpose clause of the Bill, which takes primacy and enables development irrespective of environmental impacts.”

EDS are awaiting the next stages of the bill and any amendment papers with keen anticipation.

More: Gary Taylor 021 895 896