Kia ora e hoa mā,

In the wake of the unsettling US election result and observing the general state of the world, no matter how you feel, please look after yourself and your whanau and friends. In difficult times like this, we need more than ever, to listen and support one another. Here at CJT, we plan to gather our strength to grow our movement to protect and regenerate te taiao / our environment and nurture community wellbeing and resilience. November is shaping up to be a very busy month. We invite you to join us where your passion lies.

News

Fast-Track Approvals Bill

Since our last newsletter, the government has released a list of 149 projects for inclusion into the Bill. The List contains almost 20 mining and quarrying projects including for coal, gold and seabed mining, despite overwhelming objections from mana whenua, environmental organisations, prominent leaders, and in some cases against multiple court decisions. There are also 58 housing and land developments projects including in areas that are flood prone, 43 for infrastructure including roads and irrigation which will drive more transport and agricultural emissions, 22 renewable electricity including Ruataniwha dam that was turned down by the Supreme Court, a waste incineration project that could threaten the health of local communities, and seven projects for aquaculture including  a salmon farm off Rakiura declined by the EPA. A user-friendly map on the listed projects has been prepared by the Climate Club and we encourage all to look at what could be coming to your local areas.

The Parliamentary Environment Committee report on the Bill has also been released. The Community Against Fast Track (CAFT) said the report offered “no meaningful change” and “it’s a clear demonstration that the government simply wants to avoid any environmental regulation or community oversight”. It’s not about speed at all. Indeed, the level of potential conflicts has been so great that the Auditor-General has just announced an inquiry into how Ministers handled conflicts of interest in the process.

The fight between Offshore wind developers and Seabed miner

Since the reveal of Trans-Tasman Resources’ seabed mining project being listed in the Fast-Track project list, one of the wind developers Blue Float has pulled out. The remaining wind developers continue to reiterate the incompatibility of the two industries. Whilst this is true, we also need to be cautious about picking a winner just because it is renewable energy.

Have a read of a recent paper published in the Journal of the Royal Society of NZ (Hale et al. 2024). It lays out some of the risks from offshore wind energy development on our globally significant seabird and marine mammal fauna, and the potentially wide-ranging effects on food webs and fisheries, although not all or always negative. The two critical points are the deficits of baseline data and the need to adhere to Te Tiriti o Waitangi. Moreover, there are environmental and social impacts way beyond the scope of this paper, associated with the onslaught of energy intensive mining, mostly overseas, to extract and construct components of wind turbines. Many say that the sacrifice is worth it for the climate benefit.

But can we thrive in a livable climate without clean freshwater and healthy oceans? This intricately connected biosphere that supports us and our non-human co-inhabitants is hanging in the balance. We are trying to “solve” the climate crisis while ignoring all the other problems and constraints. To explore further the costs of vastly expanding renewable energy to prolong the extractive, growth agenda, the imperative of reducing energy demand and the shift to sufficiency and efficiency, read this article written by our researcher.

Reversal of the oil and gas exploration ban

The Crown Minerals Amendment Bill has just passed the second reading in Parliament this week. The Bill requires ministers to promote mining, removes the ban on new oil and gas exploration beyond onshore Taranaki, allows access of Taranaki Conservation Land by exploration and mining, weakens decommissioning requirements, and introduces a new permit class (Tier 3) for gold mining. The select committee report revealed a tie between those for and against. The Labour and Greens both oppose the Bill, arguing that it would have serious negative emission and trade implications, put our international reputation at risk, and not address energy security at all.

Events

10-19 November, Hikoi mō Te Tiriti 2024

The Treaty Principles Bill was introduced to Parliament on Thursday 7 November, two weeks earlier than anticipated. The Waitangi Tribunal had to rush to finish its report on the Bill – Ngā Mātāpono. The Tribunal report is damming. Above all, it finds that the Crown has “deliberately excluded any consultation with the Māori Treaty / te Tiriti partner” in the process, and “breached the principle of partnership, the Crown’s good-faith obligations, and the Crown’s duty to actively protect Māori rights and interests”. It also finds that the policy is not evidence-based, has not been adequately tested or consulted upon, and fails regulatory standards.

A national hikoi / march is being organised by Toitū Te Tiriti to “entrench the truth of Te Tiriti o Waitangi in the lives of te iwi Māori and Tangata Tiriti”. Together, tangata whenua Māori and tangat tiriti (pākehā and tauiwi) will unite to show our collective opposition against the racially divisive Bill and our commitment for a more tiriti centric Aotearoa. More detailed information is here. Join the Hikoi!

14 November Fonterra AGM

Despite terrible records for winter ‘mud farming’ and the slaughter of 2 million bobby calves each year,  Fonterra recently won an international award for good animal welfare. On top of being one of our worst climate and waterway polluters, we think Fonterra needs to hear from us again. We will be greeting their shareholders and directors outside their AGM at the Devon Hotel on 14 November around 10am if you would like to join us, Taranaki Animal Save and other groups with banners, placards and noise makers.

22 November, Regional Growth Summit, Ngāmotu

This will be the second last of the 15 regional summits the Regional Development Minister Shane Jones kicked off since August, to “facilitate conversations about progressing regional economic growth…” Rather than pushing for economic growth at all costs, CJT plans to bring alternative messages to this summit, in line with an urgent, just transition off fossil fuels and big dairy. Contact us if you are keen on supporting local circular economy, degrowth and/or are unhappy about seabed mining and Fast Track Approvals etc.

27 November, NPDC Sustainability Working Party meeting

On the 28th November, Venture Taranaki will be launching the Tapuae Roa – Taranaki Regional Strategy Action Plan 2025/26, which “focuses on key priority areas including energy, food and fibre, tourism, Māori economic development, and new industry and investment”. It is our understanding that Venture Taranaki will be presenting this or the energy component of it to the New Plymouth District Council Sustainability Working Party meeting at the council chamber the day before, on 27 November:’ CJT has also been given the opportunity to speak at this meeting. This is a public meeting starting at 9:30am. All are welcome. We expect the full agenda will be available on council website in due course.

29 November, Waitangi Tribunal Climate Change Priority Inquiry Hearing

This Inquiry has been called by about 20 claimant groups from across the country, including CJT. The government is not doing enough to reduce greenhouse gas emissions or protect communities, especially Māori. The inquiry hearing will run for a week from 25-29 November, with presentations online from claimants. It will continue in April 2025 with further evidence being heard. CJT will be speaking at the hearing in the morning of Friday 29 November, from Te Whare Hononga, Taranaki Cathedral, 37 Vivian Street, Ngāmotu. Please join us.

Community Energy Taranaki hui, monthly

The Community Energy Taranaki action group continues to meet regularly in the last week of each month.   Get in touch if you’d like to attend and be part of this exciting initiative. Have a read of this handy toolkit prepared by 350.

Palestine Solidarity Rally and Petition

Mayor Neil Holdom unilaterally shut down a  motion presented by two councillors that was given force by a petition, organised by Palestinian Solidarity Taranaki. The petition had gathered 1800 plus signatures from the community and letters of endorsement from two Iwi, Parihaka Papakainga Trust, and other notable organizations. 

Had the motion been successful, it would have made the NPDC the second council to pass a motion on aligning their procurement policy with UN resolution 2334 to not contract with any companies that are involved in the building or maintenance of illegal settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. NPDC would have been the third city council to call for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza. Despite this outcome Palestinian Solidarity Taranaki will continue to put pressure on the council to make meaningful change.

Rally and march for a Free Palestine every Saturday 1pm at the Landing, Ngāmotu. For more details, visit Palestinian Solidarity Taranaki.