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Our Submission 

We strongly oppose the Bill and urge the Environment Select Committee to recommend that it does not proceed through further stages in Parliament. 

It’s obvious why New Zealanders are so proud of our natural world. Few places in the world share such a stunning natural heritage and unique taonga species. So many of us are worried how this law could end up spoiling this beautiful place we call home. 

The Select Committee must respect public input and remove provisions that would give just three Ministers the power to approve projects - like new coal mines, mining on conservation land, and the destruction of the seabed. 

Concentrating decision-making power in the hands of three ministers would put our natural world at the mercy of powerful industry lobbyists. As the Bill currently stands, environmental laws will be ignored and input from local councils, environmental experts, communities and iwi and hapū sidelined. 

We have not seen an anti-environment, anti-democratic power grab like this in New Zealand for five decades.

Rather than putting the future of our natural world in the hands of three Ministers, we urge the Select Committee to take a stand.

Expert advice and the views of affected communities must be a significant part of the decision-making process. Coal mining, and mining on conservation land, must be completely ruled out. Te Tiriti o Waitangi must be honoured and the kaitiakitanga rights of iwi and hapū given full effect. Rules must be put in place that require the government to consider the climate impacts of all projects. 

MPs on this Select Committee must not allow for a Bill that could trash rivers, land, the ocean, and communities. Our children and grandchildren will never forgive the plundering of the natural environment and their future if this Bill is allowed to proceed.