Key Takeaways
- The new resource management laws proposed by the coalition government bear significant resemblance to the previous laws repealed in 2023, with a focus on pushing development harder, faster, and with less consultation.
- The new laws prioritize property rights, with a lower threshold for regulatory takings and compensation for landowners.
- The coalition’s approach aims to reduce planning from over 100 to 17, with a focus on national-level planning and standardization of zoning.
- The new laws aim to reduce consenting work required, with an estimated 46% of current consenting potentially being done away with.
- The coalition’s approach estimates $13.3 billion in savings over 30 years, with a faster implementation timeline than the previous Labour government’s approach.
Introduction to the New Resource Management Laws
The coalition government’s new resource management laws have been met with both criticism and praise, with some arguing that they bear a significant resemblance to the previous laws repealed in 2023. RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop has acknowledged that there are similarities between the two approaches, but also highlighted several key differences. The new laws prioritize property rights, with a focus on pushing development harder, faster, and with less consultation. This approach is in line with the coalition government’s goal of promoting economic growth and development, while also ensuring that the environment is protected.
Similarities and Differences between the Two Approaches
One of the main similarities between the two approaches is the focus on national-level planning and the use of national policy statements and standards. However, the coalition’s approach also introduces a new concept of "regulatory relief," which would require councils to compensate landowners for significant impacts on their property. This approach is in contrast to the previous Labour government’s approach, which did not propose to dramatically change the RMA’s approach to compensating landowners. The coalition’s approach also aims to reduce planning from over 100 to 17, with a focus on standardization of zoning and a reduction in consenting work required.
Regulatory Relief and Property Rights
The concept of regulatory relief is a key difference between the two approaches, with the coalition’s approach introducing a lower threshold for regulatory takings. This means that councils would be required to compensate landowners, including through rates remission, land swaps, cash payments, development rights, and other measures. The coalition’s approach also prioritizes property rights, with a focus on ensuring that landowners are not unfairly impacted by regulations. This approach is in line with the coalition government’s goal of promoting economic growth and development, while also ensuring that the environment is protected.
National-Level Planning and Standardization
The coalition’s approach aims to reduce planning from over 100 to 17, with a focus on national-level planning and standardization of zoning. This approach is designed to simplify the planning process and reduce the amount of consenting work required. The coalition’s approach also introduces a new concept of "national standards," which would set out standardized planning provisions, rules, and methods. This approach is in contrast to the previous Labour government’s approach, which envisioned a unified "National Planning Framework" combining more than 20 national policy statements and other government documents.
Environmental Protections and Māori Involvement
The coalition’s approach also includes provisions for environmental protections, with a focus on setting out maximum levels for safe water quality, air pollution, noise, and other environmental factors. The approach also includes provisions for Māori involvement, with a focus on identifying and protecting Māori land and sites of significance. However, the coalition’s approach has been criticized for taking a step back from the previous Labour government’s approach, which required the Crown to "give effect to" the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi and set up a new six-member "National Māori Entity" to monitor the government’s Treaty responsibilities.
Savings, Timeframes, and Page-Counts
The coalition’s approach estimates $13.3 billion in savings over 30 years, with a faster implementation timeline than the previous Labour government’s approach. The coalition’s approach also aims to reduce the amount of consenting work required, with an estimated 46% of current consenting potentially being done away with. The coalition’s approach has a total page count of 744 pages, compared to the previous Labour government’s approach, which had a total page count of 1004 pages.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the coalition government’s new resource management laws bear significant resemblance to the previous laws repealed in 2023, with a focus on pushing development harder, faster, and with less consultation. The new laws prioritize property rights, with a focus on regulatory relief and compensation for landowners. The coalition’s approach aims to reduce planning from over 100 to 17, with a focus on national-level planning and standardization of zoning. While the approach has been criticized for taking a step back from the previous Labour government’s approach, it is designed to promote economic growth and development while also ensuring that the environment is protected.