30 September 2008

Nat's RMA reforms endanger environment: Greens

Green Party Co-Leader Russel Norman says the National Party's plans to reform the Resource Management Act are a misguided 'business-first, community-second, environment-last' policy.

Dr Norman says National's RMA gutting will undermine New Zealanders' ability to protect our environment, and the ability of the community to have a fair say.

"National's plan to narrowly define 'environment' as just natural and physical resources will remove New Zealanders' ability to have a say on landscape and amenity values. This has been rejected before, and those who enjoy outdoor recreation and scenery should be very, very worried.

"I am particularly concerned with plans to remove the so-called 'ministerial veto' on coastal consents. It is not a veto, it's about exercising authority on behalf of the owners of coastal environment, the public.

"For example, the Conservation Minister must have a say in a development such as at Te Arai Beach in the Rodney region, home to breeding pairs of the 35-40 fairy terns left in New Zealand - our rarest bird.

"Planned developments in the area would inevitably introduce predators and are likely to deal a fatal blow to yet another piece of New Zealand's native wildlife. National would deny the Conservation Minister's ability to protect them from extinction.

"Allowing developers to intimidate community groups by using the threat of security for costs is a backwards step that will also reduce public participation and result in unsustainable development.

"National's proposal to replace the water programme with collaborative governance - a process that may take years - would only help solve our water pollution crisis if accompanied by a moratorium on new discharge consents and water takes in sensitive catchments.

"While it is a relief they would retain the Greens' hard-won legal aid for community groups, the policy hides previously-stated intent to restrict its use, leaving community groups to run cake-stalls to raise funds to oppose multi-millionaire developers."

ENDS

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Gordon Campbell: On The 2013 Budget

Among Thursday’s main talking points:

We are apparently on track for a margin-of-error $75 million surplus, now in sight for 2014/15. But this sickly creature is hobbling out of the lab on the basis of all kinds of facilitative conjuring: such as trimming by $200 million the amount of new spending next time around.

With this strictly nominal surplus in sight, the 1984-ish justification for eternal austerity will have a news talisman: namely, getting Crown debt down to 20% of GDP by 2020. More>>

Budget Report, Lockup Audio & Images: Budget Day 2013 As always and especially after the managerial mishaps of the past few weeks and months, (e.g. Aaron Gilmore, the Mighty River Power share float, the GCSB mishaps) Budget Day 2013 was always going to be a pageant of reassurance... More>>

Budget 2013 Comment: Plain Sailing, But It's No America's Cup Pattrick Smellie: Compared to the last four budgets, this year's reflects an economy moving out of recession and into calmer waters... Yet if the fastest annual growth rate we can expect over the next two years is 3 percent - with the Christchurch rebuild in full swing - then you'd have to say New Zealand's underlying low-growth problem is far from fixed. More>>

Auckland Discord: Govt’s Power Hungry Housing Approach A Threat - Labour

Last week the Government said this, ‘The Government commits not to use any proposed or existing powers ... to override the council's planning and consenting processes’. But its housing Bill says this; ‘If an accord cannot be reached in an area of severe housing unaffordability, the Government can intervene by establishing special housing areas and issuing consents for developers’. More>>

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• NZ Govt - Housing accords legislation passes first reading - Legislation For Housing Accords, Land Supply - Housing package improves affordability, access
• Greens - Budget numbers show National’s failure on home affordability
• Auckland Chamber of Commerce - Budget 2013: Housing intervention needed
• Out-Link - Gareth Morgan: Response to housing problem limp-wristed
• Earlier, Pre-Budget - Auckland Accord announced

Extending Protest Ban, Relaxing Permit Rules: Govt Abuses Urgency To Extend Anadarko Amendment

The Government is trying to pass legislation under urgency which would make the Anadarko Amendment – which limits protest at sea – apply to an additional 1.7 million square kilometres, the Green Party said today. More>>

ALSO:

• Parliament Today - Parliament Resumes To Pass Budget Bills
• Labour - Government to extend protest ban
• Greenpeace NZ - Oil Companies Lacking ‘Expertise’ and ‘Financial Ability’ Set to Be Handed Drilling Permits
• 2010 image via: Pacific.Scoop - Media watcher gives NZ press nil score card for China oil spill coverage