Minister for Resources Shane Jones and Labour leader Chris Hipkins. Photo: RNZ
The opposition won't commit to honouring future consents under the coalition government's fast-track legislation, prompting accusations from Shane Jones that Chris Hipkins is being an "ideological snake in the grass".
The political spat over future investment in the country comes at the same time the government and Labour are separately calling for bipartisan consensus on infrastructure and energy projects.
Jones, the Minister for Resources, told RNZ "we can't have a modern nation if prospective political leaders carry on with this snake in the grass Venezuelan sort of diatribe".
His comments came in response to Labour revealing the future of any consents specific to the government's fast-track bill was "still an active conversation within the Labour Party".
"We have concerns about whether our international obligations are being met, particularly around environmental protections, and we will want the option to review these consents if back in government," a spokesperson for Hipkins told RNZ.
Jones told RNZ those were "weasel words" that were "undermining our international reputation".
"Contracts and consents, statutorily allocated permits should not be made an ideological play thing. International domestic investors once they've got their consents should not be stripped indiscriminately of their legal rights," he said.
"The Labour Party, if they ever want to govern again, need to come out clearly and say they will not tolerate such vandalism from the Greens, and they will uphold the rights and privileges of anyone who lives in New Zealand and has a statutory authority to carry out their business."
There have been 384 project applications for the fast-track process - 40 percent are housing and development related, 24 percent infrastructure, 18 percent renewable energy, 8 percent primary industries and 5 percent each for quarrying and mining projects.
The Green Party has been clear that all fast-track projects could be in jeopardy in any future government.
In a statement earlier this week the party's environment spokesperson Lan Pham said: "any companies thinking of taking advantage of a fast-track process that shortcuts our democracy and side-steps the scrutiny of our parliamentary process should be well aware that a change of government could result in a loss of consent, possibly without compensation".
Labour has said it would have those conversations with the Greens at the point any coalition government was being formed.
Both the Greens and Labour have honed in on consents, rather than legally-binding contracts, being up for future debate.
"Unlike the current National government, Labour will not immediately stop school classrooms, public house builds, transport projects or hospitals being built just because the previous government started them," a spokesperson for Hipkins told RNZ.
"Labour in the past has honoured existing contracts, while also having strong policies like the ban on oil and gas that do not allow new contracts to be entered into as we lead a transition to more renewable energy."
But Jones hit back saying: "there is no weasel word opportunity to draw distinctions" as any business or industry looked to invest in New Zealand needs certainty.
"If you have a legal entitlement in New Zealand you should not be stripped of it in some Venezuelan way and Chippy is being quite frankly an ideological snake in the grass."
On Monday, the coalition announced a raft of changes to the fast-track process, including removing the final say on green-lighting infrastructure projects from a trio of ministers.
The bill is intended to reduce red tape and speed up development but has been criticised heavily by opponents during the select committee process, which the government says it has listened to and acted on.
The proposed changes would mean final decisions on projects would not sit with ministers, but with the expert panel - the same as the previous Labour government's fast-track process.
However, the projects will be referred to the panel by the infrastructure minister alone.
The expert panel criteria has also been broadened to include expertise in environmental matters, and narrowed to include an iwi authority only when required by Treaty settlements, and applicants will be required to include information on previous matters, such as court decisions.
Both Labour and the Greens have promised to reintroduce a ban on new oil and gas exploration - a law the coalition says it will have reversed by the end of this year.
There are areas though where the government and opposition seem keen to work together.
Hipkins has offered Labour's support for finding a solution to the energy crisis, with the exception of any new consenting for oil and gas exploration.
And Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop, in his announcement of a 30-year infrastructure plan on Wednesday, laid out a path for bipartisanship that he hoped other political parties would get on board with.
Hipkins said that was premature and a little bit like "inviting people to your wedding before you've proposed" given he had not heard any of the details.
