Call for central Govt guidance to strengthen RMA

Thursday, 31 May 2007, 2:53 pm
Press Release: Environmental Defence Society

Thursday 31 May 2007

MEDIA RELEASE

Calls for greater guidance from central Government to strengthen the RMA

New Zealand primary producers, businesses and industry require greater guidance from Central Government if they are to successfully meet an increasing number of environmental challenges.

The call for greater support is echoed by multiple keynote speakers addressing the more than 300 delegates attending the Environmental Defence Society (EDS) “Beyond the RMA” Conference currently being held in Auckland.

Raewyn Peart, EDS Senior Policy Analyst says whilst the RMA has worked reasonably well in managing the direct impacts of new development proposals “it has been a dismal failure in managing cumulative environmental effects on landscapes and water quality and in dealing with complicated and multi-faceted challenges such as urban development.”

A recent OECD Review of New Zealand’s environmental performance found that while pollution from point sources had decreased during the last 10 years, non-point source pollution had increased and overall water quality in rivers and lakes had declined in many regions.

“This is due to the high nutrient runoff from pastoral farming which the effects-based RMA approach fails to deal with,” says Ms Peart, “EDS welcomes the recently announced initiative by Fonterra to encourage farmers to stick to good practices, which is a good example of private industry using voluntary measures in the absence of regulation.

“Many councils have developed non-statutory strategic plans to fill the gap in the RMA toolbox, including growth strategies and coastal management strategies, but they have no legal teeth and are powerless in the face of strong development pressure and vigorous assertion of private property rights.”

“We urgently need long term, visionary strategies to provide some guidance about where development should and should not go, where major infrastructure should be located and how we provide for renewable energy generation.”

Ms Peart says national and regional priorities and strategies incorporating clear targets and rigorous monitoring tools are needed to guide all planning and decision-making to ensure greater effectiveness, consistency and certainty for all, including developers.

“This would mean that effects-based planning could be confined to the level where it performs best, dealing with confined, site-specific development. But it would also mean that the RMA can start tackling the big issues in an integrated and forward-looking way.

The EDS Conference wraps up with a Political Forum at The Langham Hotel in Auckland at 4pm today.

ENDS

© Scoop Media

Environmental Defence Society

EDS speaks for the environment. It has influence.

Since 1971, EDS has been driving environmental protection in Aotearoa New Zealand through law and policy change. That's why it's one of this country's most influential non- profit organisations when it comes to achieving better environmental outcomes.

EDS has expertise in key disciplines including law, planning, landscape and science. It operates as a policy think-tank, a litigation advocate, and a collaborator – bringing together the private and public sectors for constructive engagement.

EDS runs conferences and seminars on topical issues, including an annual Environmental Summit and the Climate Change and Business Conference.

EDS is a registered charity and donations to it are tax-deductible.

Contact Environmental Defence Society

• Website - www.eds.org.nz
• Email - manager@eds.org.nz
• Phone - + 64 9 302 2972
• Link - EDS National Conference
• Facebook