ACT and UnitedFuture offer National a way out of RMA quagmire

ACT Leader David Seymour and UnitedFuture Leader Hon Peter Dunne have today written to the Prime Minister with a proposal to finally get Resource Management Act reforms passed. This reiterates a similar offer made a year ago.

“Neither ACT nor UnitedFuture can support the Resource Legislation Bill in its current form,” says Mr Seymour.

“We believe the bill adds disproportionate powers that undermine local communities and ultimately fails to improve housing affordability,” says Mr Dunne.

“We have come to an agreement on three proposed changes that would allow us to reconsider our position and give the Government another way to pass the Resource Legislation Amendment Bill.

The Bill should:

· Amend the RMA to recognise property rights

· Exclude proposed Ministerial powers to override local plans

· Exclude proposed additional iwi consultation requirements

“Property rights are undermined under the current law and the Government’s current proposals do nothing to fix this. The rights of property owners must be recognised in law,” Mr Seymour says.

“Also, local communities must retain the right to create local plans, without the threat of ministerial intervention,”

“Finally, the Resource Management Act already provide strong protections for Maori interests.

“The principles of the Act, which I have spent years defending from change, provide for recognition of Iwi and Hapu in the planning process and the principle of kaitiakitanga remains a guiding part of decisions,” Mr Dunne says.

“We know that the Maori Party is using its negotiating position to demand concessions that National would never usually give,” says Mr Seymour.

“Today ACT and UnitedFuture are offering the Prime Minister another option in order to pass the bill without undermining the rights of property owners and local communities.”

ENDS

Open_Letter_RE_Resource_Legislation_Bill.pdf

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