Resource Legislation Amendment Bill:
Phase Two of Resource Management Reforms

A new wave of amendments to New Zealand’s resource management system is being considered by Parliament’s Local Government and Environment Committee. The public are invited to share their views with the committee on proposed changes to six Acts: Resource Management Act 1991; Exclusive Economic Zone and Continental Shelf (Environmental Effects) Act 2012; Environmental Protection Authority Act 2011; Conservation Act 1987; Reserves Act 1977; Public Works Act 1981.

The Bill looks to achieve positive economic and environmental outcomes. It has three main objectives:

• consistency across the resource management system

• more flexible and responsive resource management processes

• increased participation, including from iwi and hapū, in the resource management decision making process

The bill contains 40 individual proposals, including:

• a number of changes aimed at simplifying and streamlining the planning and consenting processes

• a new function for regional and territorial authorities to ensure there is sufficient residential and business development capacity to meet long-term demand

• the development of a standard national planning template to encourage consistency between resource management plans and policy statements

• changes to the management of natural hazards so that issues such as sea level rise can be better addressed

• new regulation making powers that can remove council planning provisions that impose restrictions on land use for residential development

• changes to the Public Works Act to make the land acquisition process and compensation fairer and more efficient

Chair of the Local Government and Environment Committee, Scott Simpson MP, said: “all New Zealanders have been exposed to the Resource Management Act 1991 in one way or another. We’d like to hear from as many Kiwis as possible so that we can make this legislation the best that it can be.”

Submissions to the Local Government and Environment Committee are due by midnight on 14 March 2016.

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