Conservation, environment, water and wildlife

RMA update

Green Ideas editorial team 25 February, 2014

0 comments Conservation, environment, water and wildlife

Our-world-RMA-update-700x400-GI04 — Proposed changes to the RMA potentially weaken environmental protections

The Government’s contentious proposed rehaul of the Resource Management Act (RMA) has finished its first public consultation phase, with hundreds of New Zealanders contributing their views.

The RMA is one of the cornerstone documents protecting New Zealand’s environment, and lays out a consent process for activities that affect the environment. The present Government believes it has become unwieldy and a drag on economic growth and wants to make broad changes.

However, the country’s official green watchdog, the independent Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment Dr Jan Wright, says several of the proposed changes will “weaken environmental protections” and should not be included.

A new draft of the RMA Reform Bill reflecting the public’s submissions will next be presented by the Ministry for the Environment and will then have its first reading in Parliament. The public will get another chance to have a say on this important document at the Select Committee stage.