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Dr Nic Peet introduced the item and
briefly outlined, from a recent Regional Sector meeting with several
government ministers, the three phases of the government’s planned RMA
reforms of:
·
Phase
1 completed with repeal of the Spatial Planning and Natural & Built
Environments acts. Phase 2 will include targeted RMA amendments likely
focused on fresh water, housing, renewable energy and aquaculture. Phase 3
will be replacement of the RMA at the end of this 3-year term of government.
Gavin Ide provided additional updates
which, including questions and discussion, covered:
·
Fast
Track Consenting Bill now called the Fast Track Approvals Bill – not
just about resource consenting, also fast tracking a number of other types of
approvals and permits under the Wildlife Act, Conservation Act, and Public
Works. Referred to the Select Committee and open for submissions until 19
April.
· RMA reform minister wrote to notify
that Government plans to replace the NPS for Freshwater Management – which
will take a considerable amount of time to produce.
· HBRC can charge ahead and continue
to work toward meeting the requirements of current legislation however may
end up in a situation similar to what’s happened with TANK. TANK is
currently under appeal because it was written to meet NPSFM 2017, not HPSFM
2020. Counter to that, any regional council can include measures in its plan
that are over and above those in an NPS – and choose to be more
stringent but cannot be less stringent.
· We understand the environmental
challenges in region and have other work to get on with – integrated land
management, coastal plan due for review, RPS due for review, transport sectors
that need updating – while we wait for the NPSFM changes. Currently
engaging with PSGEs on contracts for the vision and values for Te mana o te
Wai objectives however will pause before working on the National Objectives
Framework setting limits and targets because we need to understand what those
are likely to be.
· RPC submission to the Fast Track
Approvals Bill in relation to RPC functions, and its status in Treaty redress
and upholding of Treaty settlements. The Bill appears to undermine the
purpose of the RPC, weighing RMA, RPS and regional plan provisions as low
priority. Staff would value assistance from PSGE and advisors to make sure
the treaty nuance piece is properly expressed.
· There is a duty for applicants to
consult with local government and Treaty Settlement Entities during the
application process – before being approved by ministers to be on the
list. Once a project is on the list and approved by ministers, the ministers
will refer them to an Expert Panel for deciding conditions and recommending
to ministers for approving.
· Very concerning that applications
will arrive at Council with very short timeframes for determining what the
environmental effects will be and recommending conditions.
·
A
balanced approach to a submission on the Bill is to be taken, with Tania
Hopmans and Hinewai Ormsby to provide PSGE input.
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