The National Government is so determined to hide the list of potential projects that will avoid environmental scrutiny it has gagged Ministry for the Environment staff from talking about it.

“I wish the Government had the same resolve to uphold our environmental safeguards as it does to hide the list of fast track projects from New Zealanders,” Labour’s environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said.

Thirty-eight Ministry for the Environment staff have signed non-disclosure agreements between March and June this year through their work on the Fast-Track Approvals Bill, The Post reports.

“At least two coal mining projects were on a draft bill that NZ First gave to National during the coalition negotiations. The public deserve to know if those projects are still on the list, and if other destructive projects are planned.

“Keeping the list secret means New Zealanders won’t have a say on whether the projects are consented or not, or what conditions might be set.

“These NDAs demonstrate the Government’s purpose to benefit individual companies rather than serve the public and manage our resources sustainably,” Rachel Brooking said.