Media Release
10/07/2017
Access to Justice Denied Under New Criteria
Coromandel Watchdog of Hauraki spokesperson Augusta Macassey-Pickard says the organisation is disgusted to learn that
the Government has quietly introduced new criteria for the Environmental Legal Assistance Fund that will restrict non
profit groups from being able to access the fund, in favour of economic interests.
The changes, introduced at the end of June, prescribe a new requirement to consider whether a grant would “contribute to
impeding or delaying the ability of people and communities to provide for their social, economic and cultural well-being
in relation to important needs, including employment, housing and infrastructure”.
The new criteria apply to deliberations by the panel, who consider whether to grant assistance with expert witness and
legal costs, to environmental and community groups.
“The fund was originally set up using some of the Rainbow Warrior settlement funding to enable the environmental aspects
of developments to properly be tested for the public good. Now, if someone has an economic or social interest in
activities that will damage the environment, communities and groups will not get legal aid to make their case,” says
Macassey-Pickard.
“The government is running roughshod over communities, the environment and democracy. Changing the rules to favour
economic interests when our environment is crucial to our way of life is illogical, and shows that they are very out of
touch with what most Kiwis want.”
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