Source: New Zealand Parliament – Hansard
Question No. 4—Environment
4. LAN PHAM (Green) to the Minister for the Environment: Does she agree with advice from officials in the Our Land 2024 report that “An extractive approach to land reduces nature’s ability to sustain itself and provide for us, putting our economy and livelihoods, food system resilience, natural ecosystems, and quality of life at risk”; if not, why not?
Hon PENNY SIMMONDS (Minister for the Environment): Thank you, Mr Speaker, and I thank the member for her question. I agree that we need to care for our land and our natural ecosystems. This Government absolutely believes that taking a balanced approach is necessary to best support our economy and livelihoods, food system resilience, natural ecosystems, and quality of life.
Lan Pham: Is she concerned that extractive industries will soon be able to bypass the environmental protections in New Zealand law, including the Resource Management Act, the Wildlife Act, the Conservation Act, and the exclusive economic zone Act through the Government’s proposed fast-track process?
Hon PENNY SIMMONDS: The fast-track consenting bill is before the select committee at this time and so it would be inappropriate for me to make any comment on that.
Lan Pham: What advice, if any, was she invited to provide to Cabinet on the environmental risks of allowing extractive industries to fast track projects which are likely to harm natural ecosystems?
Hon PENNY SIMMONDS: I know that the member is very interested in the report and the data that is in the report and, absolutely, policies and decisions that we will be making in the future will be informed by the data and the information that is in this report.
Lan Pham: Is she concerned that having a Minister for the Environment outside Cabinet, and no environmental Cabinet committee, means that considerations about the environmental impact of laws and policies are not being given proper weight in the Government’s decision making?
Hon PENNY SIMMONDS: No, I’m not. As a Government, we are absolutely committed to protecting the resources, and this simply shows that we have a range of Ministers that are interested in environmental factors. We will be taking an evidence-based approach to our decision making. So we welcome this report and the data that’s within it that will inform our decisions going forward. Thank you, Mr Speaker.
Lan Pham: Is she concerned that she has been left out of the decision-making process in the Government’s Fast-track Approvals Bill, despite other Ministers being given the power to override legislation that is her ministerial responsibility?
Hon PENNY SIMMONDS: Not at all. I’ve been very involved in the process, and we are consulting widely and, as we work together as a Cabinet, I’ve said that there is a wide range of Ministers who have important interest in the environment, and I’m pleased to be one adding to those voices.