Shane Jones calls Fast Track Bill conflict fears politically motivated

Questions about conflicts of interest in the Fast Track Bill process are motivated by political stigma, and it is 'economically necessary', Regional Development minister Shane Jones says.

The government has touted the Fast-Track Approvals Bill as a key part of its plan to revive the economy.

On Sunday, it revealed the 149 proposals [https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/529962/government-unveils-149-projects-selected-by-fast-track-approvals-bill selected, with the majority in housing, infrastructure, renewable energy, as well as mining and quarrying, though there are still steps ahead before each is or is not given the go-ahead.

NZ First minister Shane Jones, one of the driving forces behind the bill, told RNZ's Corin Dann the "pro-development plan" bypasses parochial and misguided opposition to projects that will have large benefits for many, and are necessary because "New Zealand faces dire economic considerations".

But vocal critics say the plan removes opportunities for public scrutiny, side-steps environmental protections and earlier court rulings, and challenges democracy by skipping political processes.

"Local communities will have an opportunity to participate on Fast Track, but we're not going to have the weaponisation of species of critters in the bush, turned into some sort of apocryphal story that stops development [for] this tendency to try and deify the environment if you don't agree with a particular narrative," Jones said.

While there had been a donation to the National Party by one of the companies that may benefit from the fast track process, it was not a conflict of interest, Minister for Infrastructure Chris Bishop said on Sunday.

He also acknowledged there are conflicts of interest for ministers, but claimed they were being managed - though there is no indication details about what those conflicts of interest are will be made public.

• Learn more: Fast Track Bill changes and how it will work, what you need to know

Asked if he could guarantee the less scrutinisable fast track process manages conflicts of interest, Jones said advice had been sought to ensure the process followed appropriate frameworks.

"The Cabinet Office provided comprehensive advice, and to the best of my knowledge politicians erred on the side of caution," Jones said.

"The list reflects an open process that went through an independent committee, and I have a great deal of confidence in the independent committee.

"We followed the cabinet process, and people can go and search themselves as to what donations have been made either to myself or to the party."

Jones said all donations made to him are for him in the capacity of his political position, not to him personally: "There's never been money to myself. I talked about myself in the context of a candidate."

Asked if it would be disclosed that companies benefiting from fast tracking had made donations to NZ First, Jones said: "In the event that entities donate to political parties, those donations are declared through the statutory process, I think it's getting quote tiresome that people immediately leap toward the conclusion that something vile has happened.

"People have played by the rules."

"I understand the NGOs don't like this type of trade-off ... but look, none of it will stick. We've followed the actual processes that were advised by the Cabinet Office."

Whenever trade-offs are presented to the public in order to achieve benefits, they inevitably attract a "level of political stigmatisation," Jones said.

"There's well over $60, possibly up to $70 billion worth of capital injection that's going to come into the economy through these reports, and conflict of interest is only one process that we've got to go through in order to inject more momentum into the economy.

"Fast track is coming, whether or not the naysayers like it or not."

One of the most divisive projects, an application from Trans Tasman Resources to mine the seabed off south Taranaki had previously been knocked back due to environmental concerns by the supreme court. But Jones said it was a "small group in Taranaki that are concerned about it" potentially going ahead now.

• 'Not in the best interest for Patea' - Locals protest seabed mining in Taranaki
• Trans Tasman Resources bids for fast tracking of Patea seabed mining

"This is in many respects a proxy for the debate that we have to have as Kiwis - and those people who do not want to use our resources - I'm less concerned about the seabed than I am about the sickbed of economic anaemia in Taranaki," Jones said.

"If it can be delivered through a statutory process by economic rationalism and scientific rigour - let's see what that process yields."