Latest news with #RMA
Scoop
15 hours ago
- Politics
- Scoop
Councils Plead For Bipartisan Resource Management Act Reform
Article – RNZ Regional councils want greater certainty and bipartisanship on regulations, as they gear up for an expected spate of rule changes. , Journalist Regional councils want greater certainty and bipartisanship on regulations, as they gear up for an expected spate of rule changes when legislation replaces the Resource Management Act (RMA) next year. The government has announced sweeping changes to the rules governing councils' oversight of everything – from housing, to mining, to agriculture – under the RMA, and these have been released for public feedback. Speaking on behalf of Te Uru Kahika – Regional and Unitary Councils of Aotearoa, Greater Wellington chair Daran Ponter said when policy resets every three years, regulators scramble to deliver the new government's national direction. 'As regional councils we have effectively seen these national instruments landing on our lap as regularly as every three years. The music just has to stop. 'We need certainty, we need to be able to have the chance as regulators to actually bed in policies and rules and provide a greater certainty to people who want to do things – who want to build, who want to farm, who want to mine – because the bigger block on those things at the moment, at national and regional levels, is that we continue to change the rules.' Ponter said bipartisanship on regulations was needed to provide certainty. 'I don't want to be in the position in three or six years' time that all the rules are going to change again, because the pendulum has swung the other way.' Ponter said in recent years there had been 'more radical swings' in policy under successive governments. 'At the moment, the meat in the sandwich of all this, is the regional councils, who get accused of not doing this, or being woke, of being overly sympathetic to the environment… when all we are doing is following the national guidance that is put in front of us.' The government has released three discussion documents covering 12 national policy statements and and national environmental standards, with the aim of having 16 new or updated ones by the end of 2025, ahead of legislation replacing the RMA next year. The consultation covers three main topics: infrastructure and development, the primary sector and freshwater. It is open from 29 May to 27 July. Doug Leeder, chair of Bay of Plenty Regional Council, has governed through the implementation of four National Policy Statements for Freshwater Management. He said implementing national direction was a major undertaking that involved work with communities, industry and mana whenua. 'Councils contend with the challenge also faced by iwi and hapū, industry, and communities that the National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management has changed every three years since it has been introduced. 'When policy resets every three years, it imposes significant costs on councils and communities, creates uncertainty for farmers and businesses, and makes it harder to achieve the long-term outcomes we all want. 'We need to work towards something more enduring.' Could bipartisanship on regulations work? 'That's the challenge for the minister but also for the leaders of those opposition parties, as well,' Ponter said. 'Everybody is going to have to find a degree of compromise if something like that is going to work.' But he said regional councils had worked constructively with successive governments and they were ready to do so again.
Scoop
16 hours ago
- Politics
- Scoop
Councils Plead For Bipartisan Resource Management Act Reform
Regional councils want greater certainty and bipartisanship on regulations, as they gear up for an expected spate of rule changes when legislation replaces the Resource Management Act (RMA) next year. The government has announced sweeping changes to the rules governing councils' oversight of everything - from housing, to mining, to agriculture - under the RMA, and these have been released for public feedback. Speaking on behalf of Te Uru Kahika - Regional and Unitary Councils of Aotearoa, Greater Wellington chair Daran Ponter said when policy resets every three years, regulators scramble to deliver the new government's national direction. "As regional councils we have effectively seen these national instruments landing on our lap as regularly as every three years. The music just has to stop. "We need certainty, we need to be able to have the chance as regulators to actually bed in policies and rules and provide a greater certainty to people who want to do things - who want to build, who want to farm, who want to mine - because the bigger block on those things at the moment, at national and regional levels, is that we continue to change the rules." Ponter said bipartisanship on regulations was needed to provide certainty. "I don't want to be in the position in three or six years' time that all the rules are going to change again, because the pendulum has swung the other way." Ponter said in recent years there had been "more radical swings" in policy under successive governments. "At the moment, the meat in the sandwich of all this, is the regional councils, who get accused of not doing this, or being woke, of being overly sympathetic to the environment... when all we are doing is following the national guidance that is put in front of us." The government has released three discussion documents covering 12 national policy statements and and national environmental standards, with the aim of having 16 new or updated ones by the end of 2025, ahead of legislation replacing the RMA next year. The consultation covers three main topics: infrastructure and development, the primary sector and freshwater. It is open from 29 May to 27 July. Doug Leeder, chair of Bay of Plenty Regional Council, has governed through the implementation of four National Policy Statements for Freshwater Management. He said implementing national direction was a major undertaking that involved work with communities, industry and mana whenua. "Councils contend with the challenge also faced by iwi and hapū, industry, and communities that the National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management has changed every three years since it has been introduced. "When policy resets every three years, it imposes significant costs on councils and communities, creates uncertainty for farmers and businesses, and makes it harder to achieve the long-term outcomes we all want. "We need to work towards something more enduring." Could bipartisanship on regulations work? "That's the challenge for the minister but also for the leaders of those opposition parties, as well," Ponter said. "Everybody is going to have to find a degree of compromise if something like that is going to work." But he said regional councils had worked constructively with successive governments and they were ready to do so again.
1News
19 hours ago
- Politics
- 1News
Sweeping RMA changes for housing, freshwater, infrastructure rules proposed
Sweeping changes to the rules governing councils' oversight of everything from housing — to mining — to agriculture — under the Resource Management Act are being released to the public for feedback. The government has released discussion documents covering 12 national policy statements and similar instruments, with the aim of having 16 new or updated ones by the end of the year — ahead of legislation replacing the RMA next year. The consultation covers three main topics: infrastructure and development, the primary sector and freshwater. It is open from May 29 to July 27. The topics cover a wide range of portfolios, the early afternoon announcement fronted by RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay, Energy Minister Simon Watts, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones, Associate Environment Minister Andrew Hoggard, and Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka. RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. (Source: ADVERTISEMENT "The changes we're now proposing to national direction under the existing RMA give effect to a range of coalition commitments, can be done quickly and relatively easily, and will help unclog the growth arteries of the economy," Bishop said. "Next year we'll replace the RMA with new legislation premised on property rights. Our new system will provide a framework that makes it easier to plan and deliver infrastructure and energy projects, as well a protecting the environment." Freshwater The changes would "rebalance Te Mana o te Wai to better reflect the interests of all water users", with councils able to "tailor" monitoring and management to local conditions. Councils would be directed to consider how they could help ensure stable domestic food supply, including providing for crop rotation in regional plans. Crop rotation within catchments could be allowed without a consent. Water storage rules would change aiming to ensure water flows during dry periods, protect against climate-change-caused drought, and reduce the need for extraction from natural rivers and lakes. Wetland regulations would change aiming to protect water filtration, flood control, and habitat for diverse species. ADVERTISEMENT The definition of "wetland" would be amended, now excluding unintentionally created "induced" wetlands, and allowing farming activities like irrigation, on-farm water storage and fencing considered "unlikely" to have an adverse effect, while constructed wetlands would have a new objective, standards, and consent pathway. Councils would no longer need to map wetlands by 2030, but Source Water Risk Management areas would now need to be mapped "to help safeguard drinking water sources from contamination". The government is also proposing to "simplify" requirements for fish passages to reduce the administrative burden "while still providing appropriate protection". Changes to rules for synthetic fertiliser are also proposed. Agriculture Minister Todd McClay. (Source: Primary sector Highly productive land changes would extend the timeframes to 2027/28, see the removal of the "Land Use Capability 3" category and trial the use of "special agricultural areas". ADVERTISEMENT Grazed beef cattle and deer in low intensity farms would no longer need to be kept out of wetlands. In forestry, councils would lose the ability to set harder controls, slash would need to be planned for and — above a certain size — removed, and low-intensity harvesting will be permitted by default if "any relevant forest planning requirement is complied with". Restrictions on mines and quarries in wetlands would be loosened. Aquaculture changes aim to streamline consenting for activities and research, and allow small structures in coastal marine areas with no consent. Infrastructure and development Granny flats of up to 70sqm, and papakāinga of up to 10 homes would be allowed without a consent on specific land zones. Papakāinga would also allow commercial activities of up to 100sqm, conservation activity, accommodation for up to eight guests, along with education, health, sports, marae, urupā and māra kai facilities. Medium papakāinga of up to 30 homes would be considered a "restricted discretionary" activity, with those of more than 30 units becoming "discretionary" activities. ADVERTISEMENT Energy changes include new policies on supporting the needs of the electricity network and management of environmental interests, and another new policy on recognising and providing for Māori interests in electricity transmission, and other changes. These would allow more routine work on electricity networks, establish a National Grid Yard and Subdivision Corridor, and scrap consenting for distribution and EV charging infrastructure. A new policy for natural hazards — covering flooding, landslips, coastal erosion, coastal inundation, active faults, liquefaction and tsunami — would cover all environments and zones including coastal environments, directing councils to take a risk-based approach and assess risk based on "likelihood and consequence". A definition of "significant risk" using a risk matrix would be provided, with councils directed to also use the best available information when making decisions. In telecommunications, new poles would be allowed by default in more areas, with restrictions in the road reserve also removed. Renewable energy generation, temporary facilities and connection lines to heritage buildings for telecommunications would no longer need consenting.
NZ Herald
a day ago
- Politics
- NZ Herald
Letters: What David Seymour could learn from brave 8-year-old; Run it straight ban a no-brainer
Hairdressers, (who may or may not be qualified), can now offer their clients coffee and dogs can enter a salon if the owner allows it. While David Seymour gives a 'buzz cut' to archaic regulations, the minister may want to have his department turn the shears on himself totally wasting taxpayers' money. I'm fairly certain the Child Cancer Foundation could have made better use of that money. Mary Hearn, Glendowie. Run it straight out of town I find it hard to believe the Government is going to 'seek advice' about the possibility of banning Run it Straight events. Duelling with swords and pistols has been banned for decades. This new contest of who has the thickest skull may not involve weapons, but as we've seen already the potential for a fatal outcome is, tragically, only too obvious. How many more combatants will have to die or be maimed for life before the 'advice' being sought comes to the conclusion this new brand of stupidity should be outlawed immediately? Jeremy Coleman, Hillpark. RMA changes at what cost? So the Government has traded off increasing pollution of our water and land for higher returns for farmers and easier property development. The proposed RMA changes loosen regulations and standards to promote more industrial farming, make mining and quarrying easier and reclassify wetland to allow more building development. This will mean more pollution of our water, land and air, no matter how you cut it. This will bring with it huge health and environmental costs, which we all pay. This may be a quick sugar rush for the short-term business cycle but it's bad for everyone and the planet in the long term. The vital concept of sustainability has been smothered by the siren song of unrelenting growth. We are going to pay a very high price for this short-term thinking. Jeff Hayward, Auckland Central. Regulatory Standards Bill demands scrutiny The Regulatory Standards Bill, put forward by David Seymour, is marketed as upholding democratic values, but it does not explicitly protect free speech and may in practice do the opposite. It threatens protest rights and freedom of expression. For months, people across Aotearoa, including in downtown Auckland, have gathered peacefully to call for an end to Israel's assault on Gaza and urge our Government to uphold international law. Under this bill, such protests could be deemed 'inconsistent' with vague principles, judged by a minister-appointed board. The bill also sidelines Te Tiriti o Waitangi. It lacks any requirement to honour Treaty principles or include Māori voices, a major constitutional failure. Steve Bannon, former Trump adviser, once spoke of 'flooding the zone with chaos' to overwhelm the public. This bill feels just like that: unnecessary, confusing and dangerous. We already have checks in place: the Bill of Rights Act, Regulatory Impact Statements, select committees, the courts and oversight bodies like the Ombudsman and Human Rights Commission. With the June 23 deadline approaching for submissions, now is a good time for anyone concerned about our democratic rights to look closely at what this bill could mean. Dana A. Patterson, Waiheke Island. On stopping crime early Re 'Police push crime message' (Herald, May 28): since most crime is fuelled by substance abuse, each arrest is an opportunity not just for accountability but also for intervention, rehabilitation and healing. Most citizens consistently report wanting this approach rather than contributing to mass incarceration. The 'Broken Windows' theory of policing, which began in 1982, suggests that not intervening at lower levels of crime will result in the escalation of crime and also supports taking all theft crime more seriously. New Zealand is known for its innovative approach towards crime reduction, beginning with juvenile offending. Giving free passes to minor crime is inconsistent with best practices. Eugene M. Hyman, Judge Superior Court of California (retired), California, USA. Political blame game The coalition Government has been in the House for half of an electoral cycle and yet continues to blame Labour, who coped with a massive pandemic and kept thousands of the population alive, and also a huge cyclone, for the lack of economic growth. They also continue to blame Covid for their lack of action to address vital basic needs. The best this Government can do to rectify this is chase 30,000+ of our brightest offshore, make massive job cuts, disrespect women and our indigenous people, reduce the income and housing for those who have remained, increasing homelessness and poverty. They have not addressed child poverty or the climate change issue but pander to the wealthy and lobbyists by making laws under urgency with little or no consultation. These MPs live in a fantasy world and are totally out of touch with the real world. Marie Kaire, Whangarei. Something in the soil According to an article published in the 1961 American Popular Mechanics' science overseas section, New Zealand made headlines by the discovery that the metal molybdenum ingested with foods grown rich in the metal prevents cavities in teeth. A New Zealand study showed residents of Napier have fewer cavities than those of nearby Hastings, although they have common milk and water supplies. The different factor in their diet is the crops grown for food. Napier grows its crops in a former lagoon that has higher amounts of molybdenum, titanium and aluminium than those used for crop-growing in nearby Hastings. Gary Hollis, Mellons Bay. NZ's voice on Gaza Firstly, I agree with John Minto (Herald, May 30) As usual he speaks from the heart and empathises with persecuted people wherever they are in the world. The United States, by supplying the weapons of war to Israel, is hugely complicit in the genocide of innocent women and children in Gaza. Our Foreign Minister's apparent willingness to go along with everything the Trump White House does actually makes us loosely complicit too. Our Government should have the fortitude to speak out whenever and wherever injustice is. Evidently, 147 of the 193 UN members recognise Palestine as a sovereign nation. It shocked me to learn New Zealand is one of the 47 countries that do not. To me this is shameful and needs to change. Surely this is the least we can do? Glen Stanton, Mairangi Bay. More female referees too It is not only 'NZF under fire for overlooking female coaches' (Herald, May 29), it is also female referees. When I watch the all-men NRL games every weekend, often the major referee is a woman. Here they are always men in both male and female games. Why not share the jobs of rugby coaches and referees so half of both tasks are done by women? Please do it in 2025 for fair equal rights and fair choice, as New Zealand women absolutely deserve to have this equal right now. Murray Hunter, Titirangi. Online gambling harm Auctioning 15 online gambling licences is going to be devastating for addicted gamblers and their families. Thousands of those caught in this cruel addiction will be financially ruined. The odds are heavily stacked in favour of the online casinos, run by remorseless multinational corporations. The gambler will inevitably lose everything they gamble. Now thanks to legal online gambling, this will be available all-hours in your own home. How cruelly short-sighted and expedient is this? So the Government can generate a few million dollars in taxes and licence sales, many thousands of people will be financially ruined. The health and social costs incurred alone will dwarf any gambling tax gain. Jeff Hayward, Auckland Central. Speak out about Gaza I completely agree with all the statements made in the letter from Keith and Jo Ballagh (Herald, May 29). Being a small country, all we have is our voice, which we have used very effectively in the past. For example, helping stop nuclear testing in the Pacific during the 1980s, despite the French Government's threats to damage our trade relationship. I urge our Government to recognise Palestine as a state and a full voting member of the UN. Ineffective hand-wringing and vague comments about joining with other countries etc do not help the starving, mutilated and dying people of Gaza and the West Bank. The time is now! Those who see an injustice and turn away or delay action become complicit in the actions of the perpetrator. We have our own voice and should use it in total condemnation of the Israeli genocide now. Silence is complicity. Ruth Coombes, Auckland. Tiny setback for school lunches The school lunch programme continues as an embarrassment and frustration for David Seymour, with a report that a larva was found in one school lunch recently. However, the school lunch programme delivers approximately 244,000 lunches to schools daily. This one lunch represents 0.0004% of all lunches. Although hygiene should be of paramount importance in any food programme, this is hardly evidence of gross mismanagement to the point of being overly concerned. Let's just call it added protein. I was given banana sandwiches as a kid that were brown and mushy by the time I got to eat them. I saw, I ate and I survived! Bernard Walker, Mount Maunganui. A quick word It's going to be a long 18 months as we watch David Seymour hog the headlines as Deputy Prime Minister. What an opportune time for Prime Minister Christopher Luxon to reassert his authority and call a snap election. Graham Fleetwood, Tauranga. The Holocaust: Nazis treated Jews like animals, confiscated their property, herded them into camps with unspeakable and unstoppable violence. Needing additional Zionist inhabitable space, Israel is tragically repeating its own history. Michael Howard, Mt Eden. There has been a lot written about the Equal Pay Amendment Bill 2025 but did I miss the publication of all the companies that don't pay women the same as men who are doing the same work? That is what is missing from all that has been written. Mike Wells, Kawerau. The problem with patients absconding from hospital ED units is not a crime. Patients are not prisoners and are free to make their own decisions no matter how wrong. Neville Cameron, Coromandel. When I returned to NZ after years abroad I was advised not to subscribe to the Herald as it was too right-wing. I have not found this to be the case. Your editorial (May 28) that Nicola Willis' Budget, like her $1100, dress highlights the growing gap between the haves and the have-nots confirms my view. You ask readers to consider supporting local foodbanks or social agencies. Please continue to highlight the huge gap in this country between those who can afford to fly business class and those who struggle to find a bus fare. Sarah Beck, Devonport. Imagine there's less Super, it's easy if you try, no Working for Families, it isn't hard to do, dreams Matthew Hooton (Herald, May 30) like a neoliberal John Lennon. Mike Wagg, Freemans Bay.
Scoop
2 days ago
- Politics
- Scoop
Councils Consider National Direction Packages From Government
Councils across the country are considering and preparing for a major implementation task, following the Government's release of proposed reforms to national direction under the Resource Management Act 1991 (RMA). The proposed changes span 12 existing instruments and introduce four new ones, making this the most wide-ranging reset of national direction since the RMA was enacted. The changes will have significant implications for how land, water, biodiversity and infrastructure are managed. Speaking for the regional councils and unitary authorities of NZ, Greater Wellington Chair Daran Ponter said national direction drives local planning and consent decisions that are central to our environment and economy. 'Regional and unitary councils recognise the pressures on the current system and like central government, want to help solve the housing shortage, support our world-leading primary producers, enable critical infrastructure delivery, and achieve freshwater aspirations. 'We have a lot to offer to ensure national direction is implemented in an efficient and effective way that achieves good outcomes for all parts of New Zealand, and we warmly welcome Ministers and officials to visit councils and see firsthand the scale, complexity, and success of the work being done across the country,' said Chair Ponter. Having governed through the implementation of four National Policy Statements for Freshwater Management in his time as Chair of Bay of Plenty Regional Council, Doug Leeder emphasised that implementing national direction is a major undertaking that involves work with communities, industry, and mana whenua. 'Councils contend with the challenge also faced by iwi and hapū, industry, and communities that the National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management has changed every three years since it has been introduced. 'When policy resets every three years, it imposes significant costs on councils and communities, creates uncertainty for farmers and businesses, and makes it harder to achieve the long-term outcomes we all want. 'We need to work towards something more enduring,' said Chair Leeder. Regional government has worked constructively with successive governments to deliver their national direction, Chair Ponter said they're ready to partner and do so again. 'We have appreciated efforts by Ministers during their review to minimise the cost of implementation to ratepayers. 'We stand ready to provide additional advice on this and other matters from our experience enabling water storage, supporting flexible freshwater farm plans, and collectively delivering more than $48 million each year into catchment and biodiversity restoration on the ground,' said Chair Ponter. Looking ahead, Te Uru Kahika welcomes the opportunity to engage constructively with the Government on the new direction. The Government's National Direction Package consultation is open until 27 July 2025.
