The Resource Management Act 1991 (usually called the RMA) is the main piece of legislation that sets out how we should manage our environment.
In February 2021, the Government announced it intends to repeal the Resource Management Act 1991(RMA). At the time, Environment Minister Hon. David Parker said changes needed to be made to create a resource management system that is 'fit for the future'.
"The RMA takes too long, costs too much and hasn’t protected the environment. The proposed (reform) sets out how we can better protect and enhance our natural and built environments, ensuring that the way people and communities use the environment supports the well-being of current and future generations."
The Government wants to replace the RMA with three new pieces of legislation:
- Natural and Built Environments Act (NBA), as the main replacement for the RMA, to protect and restore the environment while better enabling development
- Strategic Planning Act (SPA), requiring the development of long-term regional spatial strategies to help coordinate and integrate decisions made under relevant legislation; and
- Climate Adaptation Act (CAA), to address complex issues associated with managed retreat
The Ministry for the Environment is the lead agency on developing the NBA and CAA reform.
Find out more and sign up for regular updates on The Ministry for the Environment's website »
Why is this reform important for Whakatāne District Council, our people and communities?
The RMA is one of the most complex pieces of law in Aotearoa New Zealand.
The RMA provides councils (District, City and Regional) the power to set rules and requirements to manage activities ranging from building houses, clearing vegetation, moving earth, to taking water from a stream. The purpose of these rules is to ensure activities won’t harm our neighbours or communities, or damage the air, water, soil and ecosystems that we and future generations need to survive.
The Government aims to have the new Resource Management System laws passed through Parliament in 2023 and it will take a number of years to transition to the new system.
Whakatāne District Council's role so far
Council continues to provide feedback and submissions to the development of the new resource management legislation.
The intention of the NBA is for communities to work together to produce one mandatory Regional Spatial Strategy and one Natural and Built Environments Plan for each region. Having one plan per region that covers resource use, allocation and land-use management will better integrate plan provisions, contributing to a more cohesive management of the natural and built environment.
While Council generally supports the approach to outcome-based planning, its key concern is ensuring there is adequate representation at a local level in the development of the Regional Spatial Strategy and National and Built Environment Plan. The development of sub-regional sections of the Strategy and Plan, and local place-based plan making are supported.
Read the feedback Council has made to various stages of the reform: