Mon. Nov 4th, 2024
pm luxon

Brilliant news for the regions was announced by the Government on Sunday.
Some 149 projects have been selected to be fast tracked for approval under the Fast Track Approvals Bill.
They will make a big difference in the regions by delivering jobs and growth and develop a pipeline of major projects to help boost the economy.
The Fast-track Approvals Bill is part of the coalition Government’s plan for rebuilding the economy and growing productivity. We are making it clear to the world that we’re open for business and building a pipeline of significant projects around the country – because it’s only through a strong economy that we can afford the public services New Zealanders need.
As you know, New Zealand has become an obstruction economy. It’s too hard to get things built.  The Infrastructure Commission estimates that the current consenting processes cost a staggering $1.3 billion every year, and within a recent five-year period the time taken to get a resource consent has nearly doubled.
New Zealand has a housing crisis, a massive infrastructure deficit, and very ambitious climate change targets. Fast-track will be a huge step forward toward addressing this trifecta of challenges for government and the private sector alike.

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This one-stop-shop fast track consenting regime for regional and national projects of significance will cut red tape and make it easier for New Zealand to build the infrastructure and major projects needed to get the country moving again.
These projects will revitalise New Zealand’s economy after years of slow growth. Among them are 44 housing developments that will help address the housing crisis, enabling the construction of up to 55,000 new homes in key growth areas. Seven aquaculture and farming projects will strengthen partnerships with iwi and boost Māori development, contributing up to 143,000 tonnes of output per year.
The list also includes 43 infrastructure projects, expected to deliver up to 180km of new road, rail, and public transport routes, and 22 renewable electricity projects, adding up to 3 gigawatts of generation capacity to New Zealand’s electricity system. Mining projects will contribute to doubling the value of mineral exports by 2035, creating highly skilled jobs and boosting regional economies.

This initiative is not just about speed. It’s about creating high-paying jobs, addressing long-standing housing shortages, and closing infrastructure gaps. The projects included in the Fast-track Approvals Bill will play a key role in boosting growth and prosperity.
The announcement also aligns with New Zealand’s climate change targets. The 22 renewable energy projects across the country will collectively add up to 3 gigawatts (GW) or 3,000,000 kilowatts (kW) of generation capacity— for context, Auckland’s peak demand is around 2 Gigawatts – helping to strengthen the electricity grid and contribute to a cleaner, more sustainable future.
Each project will be reviewed by an expert panel, which will assess its environmental effects. The panels will contain expertise relevant to the project, environmental issues, and Treaty considerations. They will balance environmental protection with the need for growth, and if the environmental impacts are deemed excessive the panel can decline the project.
The projects will bring a big boost, and will help stimulate various industries, including the aquaculture, energy, housing, and mining sectors. This progress is going to help get things moving and flowing where it is needed, in the form of job creation, construction, new opportunities, and more business.

What people can expect is real change, and visible change, that benefits their families and their economies. And the great news is that through Fast-track, this will be sooner rather than later. -by Hon Christopher Luxon, Prime Minister of New Zealand

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