Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Seven after five. We're too for the Fast Track, the
hotly debated fast Track Bill that became law last night,
not before some protesters had their say one final time.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
Leave the house. Please no, don't do that, guys, pull that.
Don't interfere.
Speaker 1 (00:32):
They certainly got told, didn't they. One hundred and forty
nine projects are named in the bill, supposed to get
the big infrastructure stuff off and running, housing, energy projects
all off the ground faster. Chris Bishop is the Minister
for Infrastructure. Hello minister, Hello, thanks for being on the program.
What happens now the laws passed? How quickly can a
project happen?
Speaker 2 (00:54):
So the law has been passed and the couple of
general wars and then it will be officially law and
people will be able to apply from the seventh of
February next year. And there's a whole lot of work
behind the scenes. We're standing up the you know, we've
got a point of panel convener to a point to
the expert panels that we've got to get the sort
of portal live and all the kind of administrative stuff
that you'd expect. But seventh of February is the key date.
Speaker 1 (01:17):
So that's when you can apply how long do you
think applications will take.
Speaker 2 (01:22):
Well, it will depend a little bit. Some are more
going to be more complicated than others. But obviously we've
got that initial list of one hundred and forty nine
projects that are sort of pre approved as meeting the
test of national and regional significance. So there'll be the
kind of first cabs off the rank, if you if
you want to put it like that, and then I'm
almost certain that many will apply straight away. We've got
(01:45):
to get the expert panel set up as quickly as possible,
so we're doing that work over the next six to
eight weeks and then you know they'll be sit up
and they'll be going off to the panel. So I
would expect you will see projects consented next year definitely.
Speaker 1 (01:58):
Will you be okay, good? And then presumably they will
be some of them will be gung home, wanting to
get shovels and ground or in ocean whatever it might be. Straightway, Yes,
I mean, the whole point of the fast track law
is that it's a one stop shop. So you're dealing
with resource consents, Wildlife Act conservation. You know, again it
(02:19):
will depend on the project, but you know, all of
the things you need to do so that you can
turn the first side and get on with things. Fundings
are separate issue. You know there will be projects that
will get consented that that aren't economic to build quite yet,
or don't have funding attached, both from the public and
the private sector. But you know, if there's private capital
available and the projects are consented through the fast Track,
(02:39):
then you know they can get on with it. And
that's exactly what this country needs. We need people putting
up money, getting on with the job and getting things
built in this country. I couldn't agree with you more.
But would you be surprised if any who are on
the list one hundred and forty nine that you talk
about don't get approval.
Speaker 2 (02:58):
Well, we've deliberately left it open for the expert panels
to decline projects in some circumstances where the adverse effects
on the environment outweigh the significance of the project. And
so you might remember when we first started talking about
fast Track, it was going to be the minister or
(03:18):
minister's plural the twika, you know, me and Shane and
some of them. We were going to have the ability
to essentially grant the consents ourselves we changed that because
well for a variety of reasons, but we heard the
sort of public feedback around that, and so the Panels
have the ability to grant the final yay or nay,
so you know it will be ultimately over to the Panels.
(03:39):
But we've sent a very clear message Parliament has and
the government has that we want to get on with
the job of making it easy to build infrastructure, renewable energy, minds,
quarries and all the things that this country needs to
get ahead.
Speaker 1 (03:51):
Opposition says if they are put back in charge, they'll
revoke consents. They are even warning those who are investing
in these projects look out, because you know we'll be
coming and making life hard for you. Do you think
that would put perhaps call some trepidation in the minds
of those who are wanting to invest.
Speaker 2 (04:08):
Well, the Married Party said that, but I don't think
anyone takes them particularly seriously. I mean, they're just a
joke of a political party that that sort of stuff
would make New Zealand into a banana republic. I mean,
no one should.
Speaker 1 (04:18):
Take well, we did the oil and gas, we did
the oilce band was no warning.
Speaker 2 (04:23):
Yeah, Well, I don't think anyone should take anything the
Married Party says, seriously, this is a really important bill
and act actually now that will help New Zealand get ahead.
And any sort of suggestion from the opposition that projects
that are consented might have their their projects retrospectively reversed
or anything like that, you know, that would that would
(04:44):
see in New Zealand even further down down the path
of civil world status, which if where we were heading
under the last government.
Speaker 1 (04:49):
It's technically possible, though, I mean, if a new government
came in and they wanted to do that, they could
do that. What you're saying is that that would just
sully our reputation to the point beyond beyond, which it's
a joke.
Speaker 2 (05:00):
But parliament is beyond the sovereign. You know, Parliament supreme
Parliament can do almost anything in this country. But there
are institutional norms and constitutional conventions that prevent parliaments doing
things like that. So I would hope that saner minds
on the opposition ventures prevail and no one to take
any as any attention to the wild ramblings of a
favored political party in the Married Party. Ultimately, Parliament is sovereign,
(05:22):
but I think saner minds would prevail.
Speaker 1 (05:24):
All right, minister, thank you for that. That's christ Biship,
Infrastructure Minister. Twelve after five For more from Hither Duplessy
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