Source: Federated Farmers
Federated Farmers is welcoming news that the Government will be taking urgent steps to end the spiraling consenting crisis that has been hammering farmers and rural communities.
“This is a really practical and pragmatic step from the Government that will be a relief for thousands of farming families,” says Federated Farmers vice president Colin Hurst.
“Consenting issues have been a hot topic in rural New Zealand with a lot of people wondering how the transition to new resource management laws will work in practice.
“Farmers have been faced with huge costs and uncertainty with consenting processes taking months – in some cases years. Quite rightly, they’ve been asking questions.
“Today all those questions have been answered with confirmation that all existing resource consents will be rolled over until the new resource management system is up and running.”
The Government has announced it will immediately roll over all resource consents for two years, with legislation expected to pass under urgency as early as this week.
A second bill will then ‘freeze’ all resource consents until new regional plans are in place, at which point farmers will have 24 months to apply for any consents they still require. Farmers will still have the same environmental conditions placed on them that their current resource consent requires.
“Many farmers and growers will also have Farm Environment Plans, so the checks and balances will remain in place while the new system is stood up,” Hurst says.
A new transitional consenting regime will also be established from mid-2026 so new applicants can benefit from the incoming system, which is expected to be much simpler and lower cost.
“This is a huge win for common sense – but also for Federated Farmers grassroots advocacy on behalf of our members. We’re proud to have led the charge on this issue,” Hurst says.
“In early October we hosted a public meeting near Ashburton where hundreds of farmers completely filled a community hall to voice their frustration on this issue to Government.
“That meeting was the catalyst for Federated Farmers launching a campaign to end the consenting crisis, including an online petition signed by thousands of farmers.
“There is no doubt the coalition Government have heard the message loud, and it’s fantastic that they’ve moved so quickly and decisively to address farmers concerns.”
Hurst says in practice, most farmers won’t need to renew their resource consents for five or six years while the new system is stood up.
New consent applications can still be made during the transition period and will follow a transitional RMA process, which includes limits on the test for public notification and the scope of effects that can be considered.
“These changes will give farmers confidence to continue investing in their businesses and rural communities, instead of forcing them to tick boxes in a system that’s about to be scrapped,” Hurst says
“No one wins when farmers are forced to waste money on expensive and outdated consenting processes in a system that’s clearly not working for anyone.
“Today’s announcement gives farmers certainty, reduces cost pressures, and keeps the focus where it should be – on good environmental outcomes, not paperwork.”
