17th August 2024
Climate Liberation Aotearoa is holding a visual exhibition of the devastation that will be caused by the Fast Track Bill, outside Hamish Campbell’s office in Ilam, Ōtautahi Christchurch at 10 am on Saturday.
Activists will turn the car park into an art installation, allowing Ilam MP Hamish Campbell to more fully comprehend the environmental and social destruction this bill will unleash.
“The fast track bill will remove all opportunity for public consultation and is incompatible with transparent democratic process. It will cause massive damage to ecosystems and public trust in the government” said ClLA spokesperson Hannah Murphy.
“The Fast Track Bill will mean that three, or sometimes four, Ministers will have the power to circumvent all our democratic processes and push through any mining project or environmental consenting process they like. Shane Jones intends to double the number of mines operating in Aotearoa. About 200 companies have been invited to apply under this process, avoiding the oversight of the Environmental Court, the RMA, and local opinion.”
“CLA are confident that most members of the public believe that local communities and mana whenua should get a say about projects being proposed for their regions, rather than having ministers and lobbying interests decide for them.”
“Ilam MP Hamish Campbell is on the Environment Select Committee and could be the deciding vote on whether amendments to this anti-democratic bill are recommended. He has ignored repeated attempts by CLA to have open, polite discussions with him, and we are having to find new ways of ensuring he hears our message” said Murphy.