Government Halts Climate Lawsuit | Auckland News

Auckland News Today | 2 Min News | The Daily News Now! · Sep 12, 2026 · 1m

A landmark climate lawsuit against big agribusinesses like Fonterra, spearheaded by Mike Smith, is now on hold after the government intervened with new legislation — but the behind-the-scenes scramble reveals deep fears about investor confidence and precedent. Officials wrestled with whether to use a world-first, retroactive law to kill the case outright, while also warning that rushing to shut it down could backfire. The Justice Minister ultimately sided with Parliament’s authority over courts, but the move risks setting a dangerous legal precedent and straining ties with Māori groups deeply…