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The Budget 2024 includes cuts to funding for the environmental sector such as the Department of Conservation, the Ministry for the Environment, Environmental Legal Aid, and the Climate Change Commission. 

Greenpeace Aotearoa has said these cuts provide more reason to join the March for Nature on this Saturday the 8th of June. 

Producer Sofia Roger Williams spoke to Greenpeace Aotearoa Executive Director, Dr Russel Norman, about the march and Greenpeace’s response to Budget 2024. 

She began their kōrero asking him what parts of the Budget concerned Greenpeace the most. 

Last Saturday, thousands gathered in Central Auckland for the 'March for Nature Rally' led by Greenpeace, to demonstrate their opposition towards the government’s Fast Track Approvals bill and other policies involving environmental conservation.

Green Party MP Ricardo Menéndez-March was present at the rally, alongside many of his colleagues, and for their weekly chat, he and Oto discussed the implications of the rally and opposition to the government’s environmental policies. 

They also talked about the recently announced changes to the Emissions trading scheme, as well as the government’s decision to invest $4 billion dollars into a fund to repair potholes.

Last Sunday, the Cabinet proposed five changes they would make to the Fast-Track Approvals bill, which they recommended to the Environment select committee. 

Some of the changes included shifting the final say on fast-tracked projects from ministers to an expert panel, requiring an iwi authority representative to be present on the panel alongside experts in Māori development and the environment, and extending the timeframe for comments on fast-tracked projects.

However, despite Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Regional Development Minister Shane Jones saying the changes were based off feedback from submitters to make the fast-tracking process more inclusive, many advocates and experts say the bill still poses a threat to the environment and that it still prioritises development over conservation. 

For their weekly catch up, Oto spoke to the Green Party’s Ricardo Menendez-March about the party’s take on the changes to the fast-track approvals bill. 

They also talked about the government's plans to remove natural gas import barriers, and arsenic contamination of the Ohinemuri river caused by mining

On today's show, we speak to Marama Fox from the Maori Party and Geoff Simmons from The Opportunities Party about livability issues in New Zealand.

On the Green Desk this week, Lilly Peacocke talks to Dr Ian Horner who is involved in a project to rescue Kauri from dieback disease in Northland.

We speak to Esther Woodbury from the Disabled Persons Assembly about the disability policy ahead of the election

We talk about policy surrounding family violence with the chief executive of Women’s Refuge, Dr Ang Jury, and then we hear from Jackie Clark, who runs the support and advocacy organisation The Aunties.

Finally we hear from SOUL, the advocacy group protesting development on Ihumātao, is calling on the government to heed the UN’s advice before going any further.