Source: New Zealand National Party
Exciting news – we’ve just passed legislation to replace the Resource Management Act (RMA) once and for all!
For 35 years, the RMA has acted as a handbrake on growth, making it harder to produce the food and fibre and build the homes, infrastructure and energy projects New Zealand needs – all while failing to deliver the environmental outcomes New Zealanders expect.
The Planning Bill and Natural Environment Bill replace that system with one that is simpler, faster and more consistent – and one based around the centrality of private property rights.
That means fewer plans, less red tape, fewer delays, and fewer battles over the same issues every time a project is proposed.
The economic benefits of our new planning system are significant. Independent analysis shows the new planning system is projected to boost GDP by an additional 0.56 per cent every year by 2050, worth up to $3.1 billion annually. A cost benefit analysis estimates $13.3 billion in savings over 30 years through reduced administrative and compliance costs.
In three years, National has passed Fast Track, we’ve made the biggest changes to National Direction under the RMA in our country’s history – and now we’ve repealed the RMA entirely.
This is what National in government can do. To really lock in this progress we need to keep going – and we need your support at the next election.
Chris Bishop
National Spokesperson for RMA Reform, Housing, Infrastructure and Transport