Public voice silenced for sake of economy

As the country braces for a onein-100-year recession, Cabinet has agreed to a law change that will block the public from the resource consent process in order to fast track projects that create jobs and stimulate the economy.

Environment Minister David Parker said new legislation was expected to be passed next month to allow for faster Resource Management Act (RMA) consenting of development and infrastructure projects, in response to the damage the coronavirus pandemic was having on the economy.

Created in 1991, the RMA allows communities to make decisions on how their own environment is managed through regional and district resource management plans.

Parker said the RMA provided for local decision-making generally by local councils with the public having a right of participation and appeal.

However, under the new powers resource consent decisions for large projects would not go to council and public input would not happen. Instead, a panel of experts chaired by an Environment Court judge would determine whether a project could be given the green light, he said.

‘‘Most people realise that the world is entering into the worst recession in 100 years as a result of Covid-19,’’ Parker told Stuff.

‘‘We think it’s justified to put aside those normal rights of participation and have a narrower group of people make these decisions centrally.’’

As Minister for the Environment Parker would be the ‘‘gatekeeper’’ – determining which projects would be fasttracked and go before the expert panel.

Traditional consenting processes used in normal circumstances did not provide the speed needed in response to the economic fallout from Covid-19, he said.

‘‘The new processes will get projects started sooner and people into jobs faster.’’

Both private and public projects would be eligible for the fast-tracked process such as roading, walking and cycling, rail, housing, sediment removal from silted rivers and estuaries, new wetland construction, flood management works, and projects to prevent landfill erosion.

Projects that helped alleviate housing challenges, encouraged active transport and enhanced the environment would be prioritised, Parker said.

The projects had to be ‘‘significant’’ in size and create a large number of jobs, he said.

‘‘We’re not going to be taking over every little resource consent that people have to apply for because that would just choke up this panel and defeat its purpose.’’

Once a project was referred to the panel there was a high level of certainty the resource consent would be granted, he said.

He expected the new legislation to free up resources at a local council level.

Parker said the fast-track process was designed as a short-term intervention to help with economic recovery from Covid-19 and the legislation would be repealed in two years.

Part 2 of the RMA, which contained the core principles of environment protection, would still be applied, he said.

‘‘This fast-tracking process will allow our economic recovery to accelerate.’’

‘‘We think it’s justified to put aside those normal rights of participation ...’’ David Parker

Environment Minister

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