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Fast-track Approvals Act 2024

Fast-track approvals process - Referral of project to fast-track approvals process - Steps if referral application accepted

28: Notice of Minister's decision on referral application

You could also call this:

“The Minister tells you if your project is approved for fast-track”

When the Minister makes a decision about a referral application, you will be informed about it. The agency responsible for handling the application must tell you in writing if your application has been accepted and if your project will be referred. They will also explain why they made this decision. This information will be shared on a website that anyone can access for free.

If your application is accepted and your project is referred, the agency will also tell other important people and groups about it. These include the panel leader, some Māori groups, the Environmental Protection Authority, and other relevant agencies.

The notice you receive will describe your application and explain why it was accepted. It will also describe your project, including any limits placed on it. The notice will tell you when you need to submit your main application. This deadline is usually set by the Minister, but if not, it will be two years from when you get the notice.

The Minister will give all the information about your application to the Environmental Protection Authority and the panel leader. This includes your original application, any comments people made about it, and any reports that were made about it.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=LMS943297.

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Part 2 Fast-track approvals process
Referral of project to fast-track approvals process: Steps if referral application accepted

28Notice of Minister's decision on referral application

  1. The responsible agency must—

  2. give written notice of decisions made by the Minister on a referral application and the associated project under sections 21 and 26, and the reasons for them, to—
    1. the applicant; and
      1. anyone invited to comment on the application; and
      2. publish the notice on an internet site that is administered by or on behalf of the responsible agency and is publicly available as far as practicable and free of charge.

        1. If the decisions are to accept the referral application and refer a project, the responsible agency must also give written notice to—

        2. the panel convener; and
          1. any iwi authorities or Treaty settlement entities (other than those that must be notified under subsection (1)(b)) that the Minister considers have an interest in the matter; and
            1. the EPA; and
              1. if a proposed approval would require an aquaculture decision under section 80, the relevant chief executive; and
                1. the relevant administering agencies.

                  1. If the decisions are to accept the referral application and refer a project, the notice must—

                  2. describe the application and state that it has been accepted; and
                    1. state the Minister's reasons for accepting the application, including which provision of section 21(1) it was accepted under; and
                      1. include a description of the project that incorporates any restrictions imposed on the project under section 27(3)(a); and
                        1. specify the deadline for lodging the substantive application or, if the proposed approvals include an approval described in section 42(4)(f) (land exchange), the land exchange application, which must be—
                          1. the deadline set by the Minister under section 27(3)(b)(i) or (c)(i), as applicable; or
                            1. if no deadline is set, the date that is 2 years after the notice is given to the applicant; and
                            2. include any other matters specified by the Minister under section 27; and
                              1. include any direction under section 16(2)(c).

                                1. The Minister must provide all the information received by the Minister that relates to the matter to the EPA and to the panel convener, including—

                                2. the referral application; and
                                  1. any comments received under section 17; and
                                    1. the report obtained under section 18; and
                                      1. if a report was obtained under section 19, that report.

                                        Compare
                                        • 2020 No 35 s 25
                                        • 2023 No 46 Schedule 10 cl 21