ACT will not support National-Maori RMA tinkering

ACT will not be voting for National’s weakened RMA reform legislation.

“New Zealanders were promised RMA reform. What National has worked out with the Maori Party is tinkering,” says ACT Leader David Seymour.

“Someone has say ‘New Zealand can do better than this’.

“New Zealanders have suffered under 900-pages of excessive regulation for too long. Compliance costs and delays on developments large and small are slowing business and choking housing supply.

“ACT would like to vote for RMA reform, but it needs to be substantial. The crucial sections six and seven, addressing the principles of the Act, remain unchanged. The phrase “inappropriate subdivision” is still used 156 times. There are no significant property rights protections added.

“ACT can’t vote for a law which will leave New Zealanders disappointed and let down. If National wants to boast of real reform, it must address sections six and seven, and add property rights clauses. Only then will ACT consider adding our support.

“These reforms are simply not a proportional response to a land use planning regime that has left New Zealand building fewer houses in 2015 than 1973.”

ENDS

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