Fast-tracking the destruction of everything we'll miss later.
National's environmental policy can be summarised as: if it slows down a developer or a mining company, get rid of it. The Fast-track Approvals Bill was the centrepiece, but the quieter rollbacks to freshwater standards, conservation funding, and climate targets were arguably just as damaging. Future generations will be thrilled.
The crown jewel of National's "cut the red tape" agenda. This legislation allows select projects — including mining, aquaculture, and infrastructure — to bypass standard Resource Management Act processes. An expert panel reviews them, but the Minister has the final say. Environmental groups, iwi, and scientists raised alarm. The government assured everyone it would be "balanced." It was not balanced.
Among the projects listed: seabed mining off the Taranaki coast, new coal mining in the South Island, and major roading projects through ecologically sensitive areas. The common thread: profit now, consequences later.
Source: Fast-track Approvals Bill, Parliamentary submissions, RNZ/Stuff investigative reporting
The Department of Conservation had its funding cut significantly, resulting in job losses, reduced predator control programmes, and scaled-back maintenance of tracks and huts. DOC staff described it as "managed decline." Our native birds and ecosystems can't lobby Parliament, which is probably why they were first on the chopping block.
Source: DOC budget documents, PSA union reporting, Newsroom analysis
The previous government's freshwater reforms — designed to make rivers swimmable and ecosystems sustainable — were watered down (pun intended but also accurate). Regulations on farming runoff were relaxed, timelines were extended, and the agricultural lobby got most of what it asked for. Federated Farmers was pleased. The rivers were not consulted.
Source: Ministry for the Environment policy changes, Fish & Game NZ reporting
New Zealand's Emissions Trading Scheme was weakened, with the government allowing more free allocations to industrial emitters. The Climate Change Commission's recommendations were largely ignored or deferred. Agriculture — responsible for nearly half of NZ's emissions — remained effectively exempt from pricing. The message to the world: we'll get to it later. Maybe.
Source: Climate Change Commission annual reports, Ministry for the Environment
Taken together, these changes represent a comprehensive rollback of environmental protections that took years to build. The government's framing — "balance" and "common sense" — masked what was effectively a transfer of environmental risk from corporations to the public. When the rivers are too dirty to swim in and the native birds are gone, at least we'll have some nice new roads.