This inquiry is the first part of reforming the resource management system, and replacing the Resource Management Act 1991 with three pieces of legislation.

Terms of reference

1. The purpose of the inquiry is to provide feedback to the government on the extent to which the provisions in the exposure draft of the Natural and Built Environments Bill will support the resource management reform objectives to:

a. protect, and where necessary, restore the natural environment, including its capacity to provide for the well-being of present and future generations

b. better enable development within environmental biophysical limits including a significant improvement in housing supply, affordability and choice, and timely provision of appropriate infrastructure, including social infrastructure

c. give effect to the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and provide greater recognition of te ao Māori, including mātauranga Māori

d. better prepare for adapting to climate change and risks from natural hazards, and better mitigate emissions contributing to climate change

e. improve system efficiency and effectiveness, and reduce complexity, while retaining appropriate local democratic input.

2. The select committee is asked to pay particular attention to objective (e) when providing their feedback on point 1.

3. The select committee is also asked to collate a list of ideas (including considering the examples in the parliamentary paper) for making the new system more efficient, more proportionate to the scale and/or risks associated with given activities, more affordable for the end user, and less complex, compared to the current system.

4. For the avoidance of doubt, the scope of the inquiry is limited to the following:

a. feedback on the exposure draft

b. feedback on the material in the parliamentary paper that provides rationale for the clauses in the exposure draft

c. collating a list of ideas for point 3 above.

Tell the Environment Committee what you think

Make a submission on the inquiry by 11.59pm on 4 August 2021.

For more details about the inquiry:

· Read the full content of the inquiry

· What’s been said in Parliament about the inquiry?

· Follow the committee’s Facebook page for updates

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