Is the RMA a 'handbrake on growth'? What needs to be changed first?

3:50 PM Tuesday Feb 3, 2009

Two of the most widely criticised changes in the Government's overhaul of resource management law are believed to have been dropped.

Parliament's local government and environment committee, which has been considering more than 100 changes to the Resource Management Act, is due to report back to Parliament today after hearing from hundreds of people.

The Herald understands the committee will scrap a law change that would have limited appeal rights on planning rules. Both big business and environmental groups opposed the change, which they said would shut them out of important planning decisions.

Is the RMA a 'handbrake on growth'? What needs to be changed first? Here is the latest selection of Your Views:

Patriotic Kiwi (Takapuna) | 02:46PM Tuesday, 03 Feb 2009

There is a God! We are a victim of our local Council in this leaky home fiasco and we have long believed that if Councils could be held accountable by way of some sort of penalty for late responses and stalling tactics (for consents of any nature), then we could go a long way to cutting through this nonsence red tape. As I come up for air I'll conclude by saying a big thank you to our wonderful new Prime Minister and the government for getting on with it.

Kuia (Palmerston North) | 03:49PM Tuesday, 03 Feb 2009

Not reassured by the direction Nick Smith is taking. It appears to be all about easing the path for big business and large projects like wind farms. The playing field has become more uneven for the ordinary people who have the burden of proof that we are not guilty. Politicans need to get out to where the reality of wind farms are destroying whanau and splitting communities. All in the name of greed.

em (New Zealand) | 08:08AM Wednesday, 04 Feb 2009

The gravy train will keep on rolling along with the Iwi, consultants, council and lawyers still gorging themselves from the RMA trough.

Weak John, very weak.