Winston Peters' RMA Comments Spot-on

WEDNESDAY 27 JANUARY 2016
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Pro-democracy group, Democracy Action, says Winston Peters’ highlighting of the National and Maori Party’s proposed Resource Management Act reform, which provides a pathway for iwi to become consenting authorities, should be a wake-up call to New Zealanders who believe in our democratic institutions, and equality under the law. Democracy Action Chairman, Lee Short, says:

“What National has agreed to with the Maori Party creates a pathway to a parallel iwi consenting process whereby unelected bodies could determine resource allocation and impose conditions on development.”

“RMA processes should be about sensible development, protecting the environment, and democratic decision making, not about developing various forms of undemocratic joint consenting arrangements between locally elected councils and iwi bodies.”

“So far this deal between National and the Maori Party has largely remained behind closed doors. We welcome Mr Peters' bringing these controversial provisions to the public’s attention. The National Party promised less bureaucracy, and a streamlining of the resource consent process. Instead, by providing for greater iwi participation in planning and consenting decisions at various points, the Bill introduces measures at odds with this intention."

ENDS

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