Stuck in the mire
The Government’s attempts at Resource Management Act reform have yet again become bogged down. This week the Resource Legislation Amendment Bill was quietly delayed once more. The complex bill is 180 pages long and was sent to select committee last November. It was originally intended the bill would be back before Parliament in June and passed into law. However, it is still stuck in select committee and this week, with little fanfare, has been pushed back again, to November 7. Speculation around the corridors of Parliament is that ministers can’t find — or agree on — the best way forward. The choice for the Government is to build up narrow support with the Maori Party, or find broader agreement across other parties. It is all looking a bit messy.