ACT responds to Key’s RMA backdown

Press release: ACT New Zealand
May 22, 2015. 7:00pm

The Prime Minister’s backdown on the RMA is disappointing but not surprising, says ACT leader David Seymour.

“If we’re serious about councils allowing the next generation to build homes, we need to get some guts. We cannot have an act of parliament preoccupied with telling councils that building houses is inappropriate.”

In his Budget speech Mr Seymour pointed out, “The words inappropriate subdivision appear 156 times in the Resource Management Act, three of them in the principles sections.”

“Unfortunately, this backdown is not surprising,” said Mr Seymour today.

“The political class have focused on immigration, foreigners, tax, interest rates, government building programs, basically everything but fixing the RMA’s anti-development bias – the vital thing central government could easily change with a little political will.

“ACT will continue campaigning to free up land supply through essential RMA reform.”

ENDS

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