RMA Replacement Legislation ‘the Big Game In Town’

Infrastructure New Zealand is welcoming the announcement of the core design features of the Government’s proposed new resource management system, labelling this as ‘the big game in town’ when it comes to enabling future development.

“The Fast-track Approvals Bill and interim RMA changes, which are supported by the infrastructure sector, are only short-term band-aids until the RMA is replaced,” says Infrastructure New Zealand’s Policy Director Michelle McCormick. “This legislation is the big game in town and promises the significant reform we need in the long-term to improve infrastructure and support urban growth while protecting the environment.”

“The RMA continues to be a significant barrier to the development of the 21st century infrastructure that New Zealand needs. It is outdated and overly complex, which leads to delays and increased costs that prevent communities from addressing critical challenges like climate resilience and the supply of sufficient housing.”

“It is encouraging to see the Government focused on a simpler, more efficient planning system that can provide clearer guidelines and achieve faster decision-making processes.”

“Splitting the current muddled objectives of the RMA into two separate pieces of legislation, one that deals with environmental effects and one to enable development, is the right move and something that Infrastructure New Zealand has advocated for some time,” says McCormick.

Infrastructure New Zealand is also pleased to see the Government signal that it is working towards one regulatory plan per region because this is necessary to achieve more coordination and consistent outcomes in spatial planning.

“As with other aspects of improving New Zealand’s infrastructure system, political consensus is required, and we call on all political parties to now work together to achieve this as the new legislation is drafted and goes through the Parliamentary process.”

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