Tim Macindoe: New look at RMA

Tim Macindoe, the National Party MP for Hamilton West. Photo / File

A commonly-raised concern of my constituents is frustration over delays and costs incurred with minor construction projects arising from the operation of the Resource Management Act (RMA).

The RMA is not just about environmental protection; it is also our planning law. It not only has to deal with managing water in our catchments and air quality, it also governs the functioning and development of our cities and towns, including public infrastructure such as roads and schools.

As planning legislation, the RMA has not been serving us well. For instance, the provision of infrastructure often lags behind community need, and the cost of consenting becomes a sizeable part of the cost of almost all the commodities we buy. It also drives up the cost of housing.

Much of that cost and uncertainty comes from the complexity of the planning framework that has built up and the fact that we find many of the same arguments being had time and time again, consent by consent, throughout the country.

That's why the Government is revamping the resource management system to make it easier to use, increase certainty and predictability, attract investment, and reduce unnecessary duplication and cost, while continuing to protect the environment.

The proposed changes include:

A requirement for councils to work together to develop a single, electronically accessible plan covering all the rules in their area.

A new national planning template setting out the structure and key content all councils must follow in the development of their resource management plans.

A revision of the principles of the Act.

New consenting rules and processes to improve timeframes for simpler consents and to provide incentives to make decisions early in the planning process rather than leave them to litigation down the track on individual consents.

A clearer performance monitoring framework for councils, making them more accountable on how they are meeting environmental, cultural, social and economic needs.

The first phase of amendments to the RMA in 2009 was aimed at simplifying and streamlining the Act to reduce costs, uncertainties and delays. It introduced a discount policy for late consents, encouraging councils to ensure consents were processed within timeframes. The changes were highly successful and produced immediate improvements.

Fundamentally, the latest reforms are about providing greater confidence for businesses to grow and create jobs, greater certainty for communities to plan for their area's needs, and stronger environmental outcomes as communities grow and change.

The reforms follow extensive consultation which attracted more than 13,000 submissions and more than 50 public meetings, hui and council meetings.

A Resource Management Reform Bill reflecting this work will be introduced soon, after which people will have a further opportunity to comment and submit on the reform proposals through Parliament's Select Committee process.