RMA Costing Jobs And Growth

Unacceptable delays and costs imposed by the Resource Management Act process are not confined solely to infrastructural processes, ACT New Zealand Acting Leader Ken Shirley said today.

"While the obstacles to development may be a revelation to Cabinet Ministers associated with the infrastructural report, they are not new - business interests have been screaming at government for 10 years to simplify and streamline the resource consent process," Mr Shirley said.

"Previous National Environment Minister Simon Upton commenced significant reforms, but these were dropped by the incoming Labour Government, which went on to add further unworkable complications - and, only recently, Environment Minister Marion Hobbs foolishly described the RMA as `beautifully written and beautifully balanced'.

"The Act's purpose must be confined to its original intent, relating to the sustainable management of natural and physical resources. All references to nebulous metaphysical, spiritual and cultural outcomes should be expurgated.

"The concept of `standing' should be reintroduced - wherein only those shown to be directly affected by the proposal can object - and there should be direct reference to the Environment Court and many other streamlining administrative measures.

"It would be a tragedy if Labour provided fast-track amendments for public sector infrastructural schemes, but failed to remove the RMA process' clumsy incumbrances - which impact on the entire economy, costing us jobs and growth," Mr Shirley said.

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Gordon Campbell: On the Sony cyber attack

Given the layers of meta-irony involved, the saga of the Sony cyber attack seemed at the outset more like a snarky European art film than a popcorn entry at the multiplex.

Yet now with (a) President Barack Obama weighing in on the side of artistic freedom and calling for the US to make a ‘proportionate response’quickly followed by (b) North Korea’s entire Internet service going down, and with both these events being followed by (c) Sony deciding to backtrack and release The Interview film that had made it a target for the dastardly North Koreans in the first place, then ay caramba…the whole world will now be watching how this affair pans out. More>>