17 October 2024

The Luxon Government with undue influence from the coalition parties today was targeted by Extinction Rebellion Tāmaki Makaurau.

Following the inflammatory comment by Minister Shane Jones that if a frog is in the way of progress it is good by Freddie, lolly frogs have been laid at the entrance to Minister David Seymour’s electoral office. This is in response to the Government’s decision to ram through destructive projects via the Fast-track Approvals Bill, which the Environment Select Committee is due to report back to Parliament today.

80% of the population is concerned about the climate (IPSOS & UoA Attitudes and Values Study). 27,000 submissions were made to the Fast Track Approvals Bill. 20,000 marched in Auckland against the Fast-track, and a hīkoi led by Ngāti Toa arrived at parliament in May to oppose the Bill. It seems political suicide for the Luxon government to have the War On Nature.

The list of projects released under the Fast Track Approvals Bill includes coal and gold mining projects, some on conservation land; seabed mining; new motorways that lock communities into high emissions private transport; more irrigation that will result in communities’ water being even more polluted; a large waste incinerator project in Waimate causing air pollution; new aquaculture farms that threaten marine species, and others. It even includes projects that have been rejected in the previous checks and balances process – zombie projects.

That this Bill severely limits community, citizen, Iwi and Hapu involvement is deeply concerning. This goes to the very heart of our democracy.

‘As ordinary citizens we are driven to take actions such as the lolly frogs this morning’ says spokesperson Caril Cowan. ‘Decades of protest of marches, delegations, lobbying petitions and more has not prevented this climate crisis. We are desperate for real action on the climate crisis, and we get the Luxon government’s War on Nature. As good citizens we cannot let this happen’.

Until the Government is no longer under the direction of the corporations putting profit above the ability of the ecosystem to support life, we are driven to be taking these acts of civil resistance.

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