The Government is making short-sighted changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that will take away environmental protection in favour of short-term profits, Labour’s environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today.

“These changes are being pushed through fast to avoid public scrutiny. They will water down rules that prevent our rivers from being polluted, and our native species being protected.

“This comes at the same time the Government is pushing through the Fast Track Approvals Bill, which will give projects such as coal mines a ‘get out of jail free card’ to wreak havoc on the environment and take us further from our net-zero by 2050 goal.

“Which one will the Government push through first? The one that will open the door to lobbyists and foreign mining companies? Or the one that will see our rivers more polluted?

“The public deserve to know the detail of these changes, and how far the Coalition Government is willing to go to destroy our environment and biodiversity.

“This is just another example of short-term thinking by this Government,” Rachel Brooking said.

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