All 149 fast-track projects mapped

Nearly 150 projects are listed for consideration by an expert panel in the Government’s Fast-track Approvals Bill.
After months of controversy, the final list (winnowed down from 384 applications) was released last week. More than half of the projects are housing, land development or infrastructure (including transport). There are 22 renewable energy projects, 19 mining and quarrying projects and seven aquaculture projects.
Auckland, Canterbury and Waikato make up nearly half of the projects together. Every region has at least one project.
Newsroom has put together a map of all 149 projects, from a housing development in Awanui in the Far North to an open ocean fish farm off the coast of Rakiura/Stewart Island.
The listing of a project in the bill doesn’t mean it will be approved. Instead, it means the project is eligible for consideration, with final consenting decisions left to an expert panel.
The panel is empowered to provide project approvals that replace consents under the Resource Management Act, concessions under the Conservation Act, land access under the Crown Minerals Act and a variety of other permissions from other legislation.
Although the projects were initially not going to be considered by a select committee, the Environment Committee has been given 10 days to examine them now the list has been released.
“The Fast-Track Approvals Bill is a key part of the Government’s plan to rebuild our economy and cut through the red and green tape that has made it more and more difficult to build the projects New Zealand needs,” Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop said when he released the list.
However, Opposition parties have criticised the bill.
“The coalition Government has just confirmed a line-up of projects that could wreak havoc on our natural environment,” Labour’s acting environment spokesperson David Parker said at the time.