Public submissions on the Fast-track Approvals Bill closed on Friday, 19 April 2024. The Environment Committee received submissions from nearly 27,000 individuals and organisations. Several thousand submissions were received in support of different submission campaigns, and many submitters have requested to speak to the committee, including a large number of organisations. The committee has agreed to form two subcommittees of between four and five members each to make sure it can hear from as many submitters as practicable in the coming weeks.

David MacLeod, Chairperson of the Environment Committee, said, “We would like to thank everyone who has taken the time to make a submission on the bill. We acknowledge that there is huge public interest in this legislation, and we want to hear and understand as many different perspectives as we can, while considering any recommendations for changes to the bill.”

Exact details about when and where hearings will be held are still being considered by the committee. Committee staff will now begin contacting individuals and organisations that the committee has agreed to hear from. Written submissions will be published to the Parliament website in the coming weeks, as they are checked and verified by staff. Hearings will be advertised on the Select Committees schedule of meetings and will all be streamed on the Environment Committee’s webpage.

For more details about the bill:

• Read the bill at legislation.govt.nz
• More information about the bill
• What has been said in Parliament about the bill?

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