Climate Justice Taranaki rejects the Fast-Track project list released by the government today. The list of 149 projects includes seven for aquaculture, 19 for mining and quarrying, 22 renewable electricity including hydro, 43 infrastructure including roads and irrigation, and 58 housing and land developments.

“Yes, we need more sustainable, healthy homes, we need more renewable energy, and we have the opportunity for good decisions that harness community inputs and conservation efforts to create long-lasting co-benefits for people and nature. Yet, this opaque, Fast-track process that overrides environmental protection spoils it all,” said Catherine Cheung of Climate Justice Taranaki.

“The List contains almost 20 mining and quarrying projects, despite overwhelming objections from mana whenua, environmental organisations, prominent leaders, and in some cases against multiple court decisions. This just shows how arrogant and out of touch this government is,” said Cheung.

“We will continue to fight seabed mining off the Patea coast alongside Taranaki iwi, hapū, Kiwis Against Seabed Mining and others. We will stand with all those working hard to stop the expansion of the Bathurst Buller coal mine, and gold mining in Waikato and Otago. We cannot standby and do nothing when political parties allow corporations to reap profits off our precious whenua, awa and moana, destroying them and exposing local communities to harm,” said Urs Signer of Climate Justice Taranaki.

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