Auckland mayor backs faster resource consents

By KEVIN TAYLOR

Auckland Mayor John Banks supports calls for the Government to fix resource consent problems that are seen as the real obstacle to solving the city's roading woes.

Last week, the Government announced a $227 million land transport plan, including a $94 million boost for Auckland.

But city business and political leaders are still unhappy.

Writing in the Business Herald this week, Auckland Business Forum chairman and Chamber of Commerce chief Michael Barnett said the Government had failed to deliver the key to faster progress on the city's congestion.

The Resource Management Act consent process - not money - was the main constraint holding up the expansion of the motorway network.

He said Auckland's congestion cost the country $1 billion a year and much of that was a cost on business.

Barnett said a single, rationalised procedure to handle all consents was required at local and regional level. Councils also needed the power to refer projects directly to the Environment Court.

Banks said Transport Minister Mark Gosche and his officials were working on the constraints but had promised nothing.

"The second leg of the double is arguably more important, and that is constraints in and around the Resource Management Act."

He said that while the Environment Court was getting more resources to handle its heavy workload, the act had caused considerable loss and delay for Auckland road projects.

"The Government is very aware of our concerns and the potential for considerable delays," Banks said.

"But it is no good lining up $2 billion worth of programmes and being stuck in the Environment Court for the next 15 years. We want these projects completed within the next seven years."

Gosche told the Business Herald he agreed with the concerns about the consent process.

But while it needed to be sped up and streamlined, that should not be at the expense of people's right to object.

The Government had given more money to the Environment Court and appointed an official to co-ordinate between local and central government agencies to get road projects moving again in Auckland.

"We are not saying we should do away with the RMA - only the National Party is saying that," he said. "Every ounce of effort is going in to shorten the length of time the procedures take without removing the public's right to have a say."

The Auckland Regional Council passenger transport committee chairwoman, Catherine Harland, said there were many constraints on road projects in the city and the act was one.

There was room for improvement in the act, but Barnett's call for one rationalised procedure was too simplistic and could add to delays.

Green Party co-leader Jeanette Fitzsimons said she understood that the Government would not weaken the act or introduce fast-track processes for roads.

Barnett said a tough fight still lay ahead to get the Government to focus on the consent issue and he predicted it would be an election issue for Aucklanders.

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