The Fast Track List, Public Health Cuts and Climate Adaptation w/ The Green Party’s Ricardo Menendez-March: October 9th, 2024.

Earlier this week, the government revealed a list of 149 projects that had been selected for fast tracking.

Among the listed fast-tracked projects are 43 infrastructure projects, 22 renewable energy projects, and 11 mining projects.

While the bill, Infrastructure minister Chris Bishop says it’s likely some of the projects will be accepted by next year.

Both the recently announced list and the fast track approvals bill preceding it have faced intense scrutiny and criticism from environmental activists, who say that it would allow developers for mining projects and other developments posing risks to the landscape, to bypass environmental protections and democratic scrutiny. 

For their weekly catchup, Oto spoke to Green Party MP Ricardo Menendez-March about the recently announced fast track list, and the environmental impacts of the projects included in it.

They also had a chat about a leaked document revealing a number of cuts to public services, and The Finance and Expenditure Committee’s inquiry into climate adaptation.