RMA Hindering New Zealand's Development

Environment Minister Marion Hobbs has described the RMA as `beautifully written and beautifully balanced' - what a joke, ACT New Zealand Deputy Leader Ken Shirley said today.

"ACT has long recognised the fact that our unwieldy planning laws pose the biggest obstacle to investment, wealth creation and more jobs for New Zealanders," Mr Shirley said.

"Labour's duplicity has been revealed this week, with legislation introduced to fast track the Project Aqua hydro scheme promoted by the Government's own company Meridian Energy in the lower Waitaki catchment.

"While it is clear that we certainly need additional generation capacity, why doesn't the Government remove the barriers for all infrastructural investments - including Auckland's motorways - rather than simply favouring its own companies with special exemptions and then insisting that others run the full RMA gauntlet?" Mr Shirley said.

© Scoop Media

Gordon Campbell: On Yesterday’s Big Parliamentary Air Kiss To China

In order to obtain support from the two major parties, Act Party deputy leader Brooke Van Velden twice had to soften the language of her parliamentary motion yesterday condemning China’s persecution of the Uighurs. The key word “genocide” was deleted. Evidently, the kind of resolution passed by a conservative government in the UK proved to be far too tough for a centre-left Labour government and a centre-right National opposition to countenance. Yesterday, the two major parties were united in their fear of retribution from China... More>>