Watchdog rejects Fast Track Appeal Option

We have chosen not to appeal the Waihi North mining project decision in the High Court under the Fast Track Approvals Act as the law is so flawed and biased and the opportunities for justice so limited.

The option to Appeal expires February 5th.

The decision could be challenged on a number of legal points, but under the Fast Track Approvals Act (FTAA) there is so little room to actually reject this project. Projects that have been rejected annoyed the Minister who immediately brought in changes to further limit access to justice for Iwi and the public. There is no public cross examination in the process and although a High Court challenge could expose the weakness of both the law and the Fast Track panel decision on ecology and economics in the Waihi North decision, it won’t meaningfully change the outcome for the environment under threat by this project.

In the extreme context of the Fast Track and now the Government embracing an agreement on access to Aotearoa’s ‘Critical Minerals’ with the USA, communities are being forced to defend the land without hope of balance in the law or any chance of being heard by Government.

We have to defend the land, freshwater, the seabed and the future ourselves.

In our area gold is the target and it’s defined as a ‘critical mineral’ in the Strategy that the Government launched last year. The risks and costs of pollution, biodiversity harm and land subsidence long term are being ignored. The management of mountains of toxic waste is being left for future generations to deal with.

While last year was the year of submissions and legal action, this year is about community and direct action. Local people are leading peaceful action to challenge mining activities  – we have started this year with action including blocking exploration drilling access at Puketui, in an area right next to Schedule 4 conservation land this week.