Last week, the Minister for Resource Management Reform, Chris Bishop, announced that the government would be intervening, yet again, to prevent councils from progressing environmental protections under the Resource Management Act (RMA).

Legislation will prohibit the notification of any new changes to regional policy statements and regional and district plans. It will also prevent notified plan changes from going ahead if they have not yet had a hearing. These will need to be withdrawn within 90 days. The legislation will be passed before the end of the year.

“This is extremely unwelcome,” said Environmental Defence Society CEO Gary Taylor. “It would, effectively, prevent any further implementation of national direction under the Resource Management Act …. It will also stop councils from improving any environmental outcomes in plans ….

“Astonishingly, all private plan changes will still be allowed. So too will work that delivers on the Government’s priorities like housing and urban development.

“Councils will be able to apply to the Minister for an exemption to progress other plan changes. But this will be completely discretionary, and not linked to the purpose of the RMA. And it is likely councils will simply not bother to apply where they know they will be denied. 

More: Gary Taylor, 021 895 896 or gary@eds.org.nz