3 February 2009 – Wellington

Forest & Bird sees RMA changes swing against ordinary Kiwis

Conservation group Forest & Bird believes changes to the Resource Management Act announced today will make it harder for ordinary Kiwis to have a say in protecting the environment from unsustainable development.

“It will be a very sad day for the environment and our communities when only those who can afford expensive lawyers can have a say,” Forest & Bird Advocacy Manager Kevin Hackwell says. “Most of the proposed changes will make the RMA easier for very big, wealthy companies and rich individuals.”

The first thing many affected individuals or communities will know about a development is when the bulldozers arrive, with the proposal to make it less likely that resource consents will be notified.

“Removing most of the checks and balances and the right of appeal on the development of regional and district plans is also a big concern,” Kevin Hackwell says. “Rather than speed up the planning process, the proposals will inevitably lead to poorly constructed and inefficient plans that will create problems for everyone.”

Forest & Bird welcomes disincentives for trade competitors to misuse the Act, but ordinary Kiwis and community groups will probably have to raise large bonds as security of costs unless there are robust criteria for how these disincentives are applied. This will be on top of a 900 per cent increase in the cost of lodging an appeal to the Environment Court. By comparison, the increased fines for corporate polluters will rise by just 300 per cent.

The proposal to remove the Minister of Conservation’s powers to make decisions on restricted coastal activities is a real concern. “The Minister represents the Crown’s ownership of the coast and as the ‘owner’ the Minister should be able to have the final say,” Kevin Hackwell says. The logical next step would be to take away private landowners’ rights to say no to someone else’s proposed development on their land.

ENDS

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