“Will this do?” That’s the question being asked from the Beehive, as the Government tinkers with their Fast Track Approvals Bill, making it more politically palatable by taking out some harder-to-swallow elements.
The track record of "expert panels" from this Coalition government appears to be those who will rubber stamp Coalition favoured policies. From Kiwirail to Kainga Ora to methane reviews, it's always somewhat predictable.
Fast-track expert panel members include the likes of ex-National MP Steven Joyce, who is a Board member of Winton Property Development - a firm Chris Bishop publicly went to battle for against Kainga Ora.
We should be very wary of the use of "expert panels" for good reason.
This article is an excellent summation of the issues at stake.
I am deeply suspicious of the makeup of the "independent" panel. Loyalty to the coalition parties seems to be of fundamental importance. It will also be important for the media to list alongside the eventually approved projects the financial contributions these companies/individuals have made to the coalition parties.
And shifting the costs onto society, typically in the form of pollution cleanup, preventable worker illnesses & deaths, subsidised underpayment of wages...
Mind you Bryce, lets face it, the select committee process in the most influential of committees is rigged via voting numbers that emulate the main house, so that at the end of the day the Government of the day can authorise or veto any thing they want.
That is how referendums are ignored.
So I if you look it like that the fast track thing will speed up by many months what is already a rubber stamping confidence trick and save the taxpayers a lot ransom money.
Can't really see a noticeable difference in the practical outcomes - not an independent panel in any sense & who decides WHICH "expertise"? & only consider what someone else decides can come before them? and political people decide the rules? The lipstick on THIS pig is just another shade of "hell no!"
The track record of "expert panels" from this Coalition government appears to be those who will rubber stamp Coalition favoured policies. From Kiwirail to Kainga Ora to methane reviews, it's always somewhat predictable.
Fast-track expert panel members include the likes of ex-National MP Steven Joyce, who is a Board member of Winton Property Development - a firm Chris Bishop publicly went to battle for against Kainga Ora.
We should be very wary of the use of "expert panels" for good reason.
This article is an excellent summation of the issues at stake.
PS Here's more on Steven Joyce and Bishop https://mountaintui.substack.com/p/knives-out-for-kainga-ora?utm_source=publication-search
I am deeply suspicious of the makeup of the "independent" panel. Loyalty to the coalition parties seems to be of fundamental importance. It will also be important for the media to list alongside the eventually approved projects the financial contributions these companies/individuals have made to the coalition parties.
A curia poll could barely make it favorable. It must be extremely badly received then.
Only moving foreign privately owned investment control one layer back from the front office like they always do.
And shifting the costs onto society, typically in the form of pollution cleanup, preventable worker illnesses & deaths, subsidised underpayment of wages...
Mind you Bryce, lets face it, the select committee process in the most influential of committees is rigged via voting numbers that emulate the main house, so that at the end of the day the Government of the day can authorise or veto any thing they want.
That is how referendums are ignored.
So I if you look it like that the fast track thing will speed up by many months what is already a rubber stamping confidence trick and save the taxpayers a lot ransom money.
Can't really see a noticeable difference in the practical outcomes - not an independent panel in any sense & who decides WHICH "expertise"? & only consider what someone else decides can come before them? and political people decide the rules? The lipstick on THIS pig is just another shade of "hell no!"
It's FAFO phase 1 for the 3-legged coalition.