Scoop has an Ethical Paywall
License needed for work use Register

Gordon Campbell | Parliament TV | Parliament Today | News Video | Crime | Employers | Housing | Immigration | Legal | Local Govt. | Maori | Welfare | Unions | Youth | Search

 

Resource Management Act - more of the same

Media release
5 November 2003

Resource Management Act - more of the same

Changes to the Resource Management Act could bring further blockages to the economy and problems for property rights, says Business NZ.

The RMA Amendment Bill (Energy & Climate Change) is currently being considered by the Local Government & Environment Select Committee.

In oral submission to the committee Business NZ Chief Executive Simon Carlaw said the amended law would require decision makers to favour renewable sources of energy over non-renewables.

He said a bias towards renewables would be reasonable in a situation of adequate energy supply, but NZ has supply problems that are causing loss of business and loss of investment.

"Giving preference to renewables before they are cost-effective just hamstrings the economy. All energy supply options should receive equal treatment during the transition phase towards renewable energy," Mr Carlaw said.

Under the amended law, decision makers would also be required to give regard to the effects of climate change, including increased risk of flooding and erosion.

Mr Carlaw said this could further erode property rights and result in landowners being prevented from developing their properties if a local council allowed the amendment to be misused.

"Consent authorities are already able to limit development if the flood risk is too high. This amendment could be used by those opposed to a particular development when no other reasonable grounds of objection exist, making yet another obstacle in an already convoluted process.

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading

Are you getting our free newsletter?

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.

Citing extreme weather events is an inadequate reason to introduce a potential new barrier to the consent process. For example, recent flooding in the Coromandel and associated property damage is more a consequence of underinvestment in flood management infrastructure than the 'effects of climate change'.

Addressing the reasons for the lack of that investment would be more profitable than requiring consent authorities to consider a still uncertain area of science."

ENDS


© Scoop Media

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading
 
 
 
Parliament Headlines | Politics Headlines | Regional Headlines

Gordon Campbell: On The Government's Assault On Maori

This isn’t news, but the National-led coalition is mounting a sustained assault on Treaty rights and obligations. Audrey Young in the NZ Herald has compiled a useful list of the many ways Christopher Luxon plans to roll back the progress made in race relations over the past forty years. He has described yesterday’s nationwide protests by Maori as “pretty unfair.” Poor thing. More


 
 
Public Housing Futures: Christmas Comes Early For Landlords

New CTU analysis of the National & ACT coalition agreement has shown the cost of returning interest deductibility to landlords is an extra $900M on top of National’s original proposal. This is because it is going to be implemented earlier and faster, including retrospective rebates from April 2023. More


Green Party: Petition To Save Oil & Gas Ban

“The new Government’s plan to expand oil and gas exploration is as dangerous as it is unscientific. Whatever you think about the new government, there is simply no mandate to trash the climate. We need to come together to stop them,” says James Shaw. More

PSA: MFAT Must Reverse Decision To Remove Te Reo

MFAT's decision to remove te reo from correspondence before new Ministers are sworn in risks undermining the important progress the public sector has made in honouring te Tiriti. "We are very disappointed in what is a backward decision - it simply seems to be a Ministry bowing to the racist rhetoric we heard on the election campaign trail," says Marcia Puru. More

 
 
 
 
 
 

LATEST HEADLINES

  • PARLIAMENT
  • POLITICS
  • REGIONAL
 
 

InfoPages News Channels


 
 
 
 

Join Our Free Newsletter

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.