Greenpeace is questioning whether NZ First has acquired a taste for the ACT Party’s dead rats, as the Government prepares to unveil its new Resource Management bills tomorrow.
Greenpeace understands the RM replacement bills are expected to include a “Regulatory Takings” clause, whereby if councils introduce rules to limit environmental harm, foreign and domestic companies will likely be able to claim financial compensation.
It’s a provision that Greenpeace says would directly contradict NZ First’s long-held stance of defending Kiwi communities from foreign corporate interests.
Greenpeace campaigner Genevieve Toop says: “Under this plan, if regions like Gisborne want stronger rules to stop forestry slash destroying homes and rivers, ratepayers would likely be forced to pay offshore forestry companies ‘compensation’. It’s absurd.”
“Regulatory takings is a ‘polluters get paid’ scheme, where ordinary New Zealanders would have to pay companies to get them to stop polluting. It’s a truly fringe and radical idea that the ACT Party is trying to import into Aotearoa.”
“NZ First only just finished choking down David Seymour’s last dead rat, the Regulatory Standards Act. We’re surprised that they appear back for more so soon,” says Toop.
NZ First recently voted the highly controversial Regulatory Standards Bill into law. While the party succeeded in softening a similar regulatory takings provision in the Bill, it announced its commitment to repeal the law only weeks after providing the votes required for it to pass.
“New Zealanders should never be expected to pay financial compensation to the very corporations causing the damage to their communities,” Toop said.
“We are about to find out if NZ First chooses to stand with New Zealanders or with foreign corporations demanding public handouts for the simple act of ceasing to trash Aotearoa.”
With the Government planning to cap council rates, Greenpeace is warning that most councils will be financially unable to introduce new protections – effectively blocking locally specific regulations to prevent slash, flooding, and the nitrate contamination crisis.
Greenpeace is calling on NZ First and National to remove all regulatory takings provisions from the RM replacement bills. Further details of the reforms will be released when the Government introduces the bills to the House tomorrow.
