Greenpeace says changes to the Fast Track Bill announced today are a wolf in sheep’s clothing, but show that the Government is feeling the heat and public pressure is working.

Greenpeace Aotearoa executive director Russel Norman says, "Opposition to the Fast Track Bill has been deep and widespread and the changes announced today show the Government is feeling the heat, but the changes don’t go anywhere near far enough.

"The key part of the Fast Track Bill remains in place after these changes - projects will still be assessed on purely economic criteria which totally override environmental criteria.

"Public pressure has resulted in changes to move the decision making on individual projects from three ministers to the decision making panels. This is progress but, without changing the criteria for making decisions, this will not fundamentally fix this flawed bill.

"Furthermore, the breakdown of projects released today shows that the fast track approvals process could herald 19 new mining projects. That’s 19 mines without environmental conditions.

"Over 20,000 people marched in protest against the Fast track bill and tens of thousands made submissions opposing it because the legislation threatens to turn the rivers and lakes of Aotearoa into sewers, forests and seabeds to open cast mines and push precious species to extinction. They will not be placated by mere tweaks.

Greenpeace has this week published an open letter to all industry leaders considering using the Fast Track promising resistance and protest. Already over 2,500 people have signed on.

Norman says, "I urge any company considering using the fast track to think long and hard about whether they want to risk their social license by opting for a path that’s so obviously designed to shortcut critical environmental protections and democratic process.

"Any company or organisation associated with a project in the Fast Track, will be forever tarnished by that decision.

"Getting on board the Fast Track means you’ll be traveling in bad company because the Australian seabed miners Trans Tasman Resources jumped on board at the first opportunity after years of failing in court, at the EPA and weathering widespread opposition from iwi, hapū, and community and environmental groups."

The Australian miner Trans Tasman Resources has already said it will attempt to use the Fast Track to gain access to the South Taranaki Bight where they plan to rip up 50 million tonnes of the seabed every year for over 30 years.

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