Watch: Christopher Luxon returns to Beehive after India trip to make Resource Management Act announcement
The Government has revealed the key features of a new Resource Management Act (RMA) system, drawing upon advice received from an expert advisory group.
In a statement on Monday afternoon, Chris Bishop, the minister responsible for RMA Reform said the current legislation is “broken” as it “makes it too hard to build the infrastructure and houses New Zealand desperately needs”.
He said it was “too hard to use our abundant natural resources, and hasn’t resulted in better management of our natural environment”.
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These live updates are now over.
Praise for Peters' attack on Labour
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Luxon says Winston Peters "attacked Labour beautifully" in his State of the Nation speech.
He says Labour caused economic issues while it was in government.
Luxon says it is in New Zealand's national interest to be in the Paris climate agreement, something Peters had questioned whether New Zealand should be part of.
Luxon 'concerned' about meth use
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There's been a 96% increase in meth use over the past year, according to new police data.
Luxon says he is "quite concerned about it".
The Government has been focused on tackling gangs as they are so involved in the drug trade, he says.
He has asked the Justice and Police Minister to look into new ways to tackle the meth use. That was prompted by the new data.
Peters' visit to US
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Asked about Winston Peters' visit to the US and whether New Zealand will get a tariff exemption, Luxon said good relationships are being built.
The meetings Peters had were about finding areas of commonality, Luxon said.
They were "very successful", he said.
There is no timeline about when New Zealand may find out about tariffs, Luxon said.
There is nothing further that can be shared with the public about any outcomes of those meetings, the Prime Minister said.
Luxon wouldn't answer whether Peters had got a deal for the new Cook Strait ferries.
The minister has until the end of the month to do so. Yesterday, Peters said he would have answers before the end of March.
Plans to cut land zones down
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Work is ongoing about how many land zones there will be.
There's currently more than 1000, compared to just 13 in Japan. Bishop wants to get closer to 13.
Court said councils will need to meet the objective of planning for 30 years of growth.
Cabinet rules out generic Treaty clause
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There will be no generic Treaty clause in the new legislation, Bishop said.
That has been ruled out by Cabinet, he added.
Other work unrelated to the RMA is being done on improving productivity on Māori land, Luxon said.
Focus of new system on property rights - Bishop
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Asked how the government can be sure any future government won't rip this up, Bishop said their goal is to focus on making the best public policy they can.
The current RMA has been disastrous, he says.
The goal is to completely replace it, primarily premised on property rights, he said.
Bishop said, we are the elected government.
It is implementing what it was elected to do, he said.
There is room for consultation and negotiation in the future, he said.
We will reach out to Labour in good faith, but the government has a mandate, he said.
The ultimate way to create enduring legislation that goes beyond one term of Parliament is to make good law, Bishop said.
Bishop calls Labour's reforms a 'disaster'
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Bishop said Labour's reforms were a "disaster" and introduced new complicated terms.
It "stuffed" the legislation with goals and objectives making it hard to navigate, he says.
One Labour bill was longer than the current RMA, Bishop says.
Bishop will reach out to Labour and the Greens to try and find common ground.
Some concepts in the expert advisory group report have previously received positive feedback, he said.
Timeline for RMA reform
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Asked when the legislation will be passed, Bishop said the new bills should be passed by the next election.
They should be in place in 2027, when new council long-term plans are beginning to be developed, he said.
The last Government's replacement bills had a 10-year transition, Bishop said, so this is a quick transition.
Luxon adds there is also fast-track approval legislation to extradite projects.
Political week ahead
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Luxon says the Papua New Guinea PM will be in Wellington this week for formal talks.
In the House, there will be urgency for legislation, including the drug driving bill and sentencing reform.
Act MP Simon Court speaks
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Under-Secretary for RMA and Act MP Simon Court is also speaking to media about the announcement.
He began by dropping the massive current RMA legislation onto the podium to highlight how big the law is at the moment.
Seymour welcomes RMA announcement
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Act leader David Seymour has welcomed the announcement about the shape of laws to replace the RMA.
“Ditching the RMA and passing new laws centred on property rights might be the most important thing the Government does.
“Why can’t young New Zealanders afford homes? Why are power bills so high? Why can’t I buy McDonald’s in Wanaka? Each question has a common answer."
He said the RMA is a "monstrosity" that has "strangled" the country's development potential.
“ACT has been beating this drum for more than a decade. I remember campaigning on it before I first entered Parliament in 2014.
"There’s been plenty of tinkering round the edges since the Act was passed in 1991, but only now are we seeing wholesale reform, delivered by ACT’s Simon Court alongside Chris Bishop."
He said the legacy of these reforms will be more "productive activity, more high-paying jobs, and affordable housing".
Luxon accuses 'busybodies' of weaponising the RMA
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There are "busybodies" weaponising the RMA, and this is blocking new roads, windfarms, apartments and farming.
This is a culture of no brought to life, and the Government is taking action, Luxon says.
Kiwis should just be allowed to get on with it. He says Cabinet has agreed to the high-level replacement.
RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop is now speaking about the announcement as laid out in the story.
Luxon says NZ winning battle on inflation
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The reason we want more investment is because it is key to raising living standards, Luxon said.
The Government is determined to unlock more investment and innovation.
We know many families are still suffering the after-effects of high interest rates.
We are now out of recession, Luxon said, and we are winning the battle on inflation.
Interest rates are falling and economists expect more cuts, he said.
Luxon points to increased tourism and services and manufacturing activity. He acknowledges it is still tough for some Kiwis.
Luxon, Bishop speak to media
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Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop are now speaking to media.
Luxon thanked those who accompanied him to India.
He said the relationship has been deepened in terms of trade, security and people-to-people links.
He said it's a major player in a multipolar world.
The Government will do everything it can to drive partnerships to new levels, he said.
The recent investment summit shows the Government's relentless focus on growth, he said.
New Zealand is a "safe haven" in a volatile world where investors want predictability.
Luxon to reveal major reform at standup
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The Government is expected to announce the next steps of its reforms to the Resource Management Act (RMA) today.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, with RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop, will address the media at 4pm.
The Government's quarter-one action plan includes taking Cabinet decisions on the major legislative architecture for the replacement of the RMA.
Bishop has been vocal about the need for RMA reform, particularly in response to a recent decision by Auckland Council commissioners.
The commissioners rejected plans for a new $100 million offic
“Cabinet has now agreed on the shape of the Government’s replacement legislation, signalling a radical transition to a far more liberal planning system with less red tape, premised on the enjoyment of property rights,” Bishop said.
“Turning our economy around requires changing the culture of ‘no’ that permeates decision-making in New Zealand. Whether it’s aquaculture off the coast of the South Island or a new green building replacing a heritage gravel pit next to a train station in the centre of our biggest city, the RMA has obstructed growth instead of enabling it. That’s all about to change. Enough is enough.”
He said an expert advisory group developed a blueprint for reform earlier this year. This blueprint “delivers a workable basis” for a new system and Cabinet had made decisions on new features drawn from it.
“Economic analysis undertaken on the Blueprint’s proposals show that they are estimated to deliver a 45% improvement in administrative and compliance costs when compared to the current system. Similar analysis done on the last Government’s RMA replacement estimated that it would deliver only a 7% reduction in process costs.”
The key features:
Bishop said ideas like standardised zoning are “common sense”.
“Right now, every individual council determines the technical rules of each of their zones. Across the country there are 1,175 different kinds of zones. In Japan, which utilises standardised zoning, they have only 13,” Bishop said.
“Standardising these zoning rules will take pressure off ratepayers and make it easier to build more homes for Kiwis. It will also enhance local decision making, allowing elected local representatives to focus more time on deciding where development should and should not occur in their community, and less time on the enormous amount of technical detail that goes into regulating that development.”
This is part of a commitment National made with the Act Party after the 2023 election.
Under-Secretary for RMA Reform and Act MP Simon Court said the current legislation is too broad.
“We must rationalise the system to ensure a tight scope where only those affected get a say, and at the right time. We cannot have Tom, Dick, and Harry weaponise the planning system to block progress from the opposite end of the country.
“We believe that the best way to stop unnecessary red tape is attach a price to it. The new system will protect landowners against regulatory takings, enabling them to seek recourse if found that unjustified restrictions have been placed on their land.”
The new pieces of legislation are expected to be introduced into the House before the end of the year.