Shane Jones

The coalition government is to use its controversial ‘fast track’ legislation to bypass drawn-out environmental approvals and speed the development of coal.

The majority of submitters are in favour of a government proposal to allow mining to resume in New Zealand after it was cancelled under Labour.

5 people have been arrested after a Greenpeace protest outside the Wellington office of mining lobby group Straterra, which closed a city road.

Meanwhile, the former prime minister of the small Pacific nation has criticised the New Zealand government for embracing gas drilling.