Government to help councils move faster in emergencies

RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop announced the changes at LGNZ's conference. Photo / Mark Mitchell

The Minister for RMA reform Chris Bishop says the Government can provide direction to allow quick action in response to emergencies such as 2023′s cyclone and flooding.

This would be done through a National Policy Statement (NPS), a planning document issued under the RMA.

The last Government sought public feedback on a proposed National Policy Statement for Natural Hazard Decision-making.

Speaking to Local Government NZ’s annual conference in Wellington, Bishop said the last Government had promised changes as the first step “in a two-step national direction process, with this new piece of national direction providing interim guidance while detailed and comprehensive national direction on natural hazards was developed”.

Bishop said his take on submissions was that “national direction would be more effective if advanced as a single instrument”, rather than being advanced in two steps.

“The new natural hazards NPS will provide direction to councils on how to identify natural hazards, assess the risk they pose, and how to respond to that risk through planning controls.

“After Aucklanders and West Coast residents have suffered through floods, Tairāwhiti, and Hawke’s Bay and Northland residents bore the brunt of Cyclone Gabrielle, I am glad that we are taking the lessons learnt from these disasters to manage our risk better going forward,” Bishop said.

He said that in a crisis “quick decisions under the RMA are required to urgently speed up flood protection works, add temporary accommodation, and manage waste or contaminated soils”.

Bishop said the government would also improve regulation making powers for emergency responses.

He also announced the government would make it easier to build specified buildings on highly productive land.

“We will be making it clear that you can have indoor primary production and greenhouses on highly productive land, as well as specifying that if a farmer wants to construct new specified pieces of infrastructure, such as solar farms, these are allowed,” Bishop said.

He said the changes would be in place within the next month.

Thomas Coughlan is Deputy Political Editor and covers politics from Parliament. He has worked for the Herald since 2021 and has worked in the press gallery since 2018.