Quarry linked to $55,000 donation to NZ First and Shane Jones, approached over fast-track

[Michael Szabo]

Quarry connected to $55,000 donation to NZ First and Shane Jones, approached over fast-track - NZ Herald:
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/ ... 1714004934

[andrewcrossland]

There’s probably a bunch of other special interest web groups that would be super interested in these political postings team, but the fact is that almost all politicians are dodgy to some degree or another aren’t they? Both the right and the left have dropped the ball on species protections and ecological management in this country over the last 30 or more years. (Bring back the NZ Wildlife Service!).
Unless there’s something specifically relevant about birds is this the right forum to try to start the revolution? There’s also a bit of a risk in over-stepping the accusations and crossing the line to committing libel as this is a public forum eh.

[bdarlow]

I appreciated your posting, Michael - thank you. I suggest all those interested in birds will know the proposed fast track legislation is likely to be a disaster for the natural world, including birds. Minister Jones' comment about "bye bye freddie" could just as easily have been "bye bye birdie". If comments are restricted to niche political sites they can be dismissed as the opinions of a small lefty minority. People of all political persuasions interested in preserving our native fauna and flora need to be concerned about this undemocratic legislation. Brian Darlow

[andrewcrossland]

Ok, so how about adding a new forum to the list, something like "nature conservation issues and political developments".

[Neil Fitzgerald]

I'm not convinced we want a new forum and I'm not convinced we need reposts of political news headlines. This govt may be a disaster, but unless it is directly related to birds, please leave it to the news sites.

[Michael Szabo]

The proposed Fast Track Approvals Bill is clearly related to birds and their habitats because it would suspend the operation of the main environment, conservation and wildlife protection laws in relation to large-scale developments approved under it.

A case in point being consents for sand mining in NZ Fairy Tern habitat near Mangawhai, which were recently declined by the Environment Court. If the company applies under the Fast Track Approvals Bill, Shane Jones and two other ministers could ignore the expert advice given by ornithologists and approve consents at the stroke of their pens: viewtopic.php?f=3&t=12791

Another is the failed proposal to mine phosphate from the seabed near the Chatham Islands, which if approved under the Fast Track Approvals Bill would impact five critically endangered seabird species that forage in that area, including the Chatham Taiko: viewtopic.php?f=3&t=12777

These examples are precisely why Birds New Zealand and nine other scientific societies have written to the government to raise their objections to the bill: https://www.birdsnz.org.nz/news/open-le ... societies/

In addition, this group has discussed posts on subjects that affect birds and their habitats on a wide range of matters such as climate change, feral cats and job cuts at DOC since it was established so I don't see why discussing posts on the proposed Fast Track legislation need to be treated differently.

[Jim_j]

I appreciate people taking the time and effort to make these posts and highlight the issues.
It is a sad reality that a large number of species in NZ are a funding cut or a change in policy away from extinction - (I was going to list them but there are just too many)

This site is hardly swamped with postings and I personally find these posts much more relevant than say the interminable posts we had on artists depicting the wrong species on their artworks.....

If people don't want to read them - then it's pretty easy - don't!

Cheers
Jim

[andrewcrossland]

Then maybe keep the title of the post on topic and less like a conspiracy theory and insinuation of corruption.
Jim - a list of the species that you believe will become extinct be would be really interesting.

[Jan]

Neil Fitzgerald is the administrator of this site and should be able to make the rules without arguments from a person who already makes the rules on several other [facebook] sites related to birds and throws people off sites for trivial disagreements.

[Michael Szabo]

Rod Emmerson in the NZ Herald.