RMA rule changes ‘mark end of war’

• Published date: 25 April 2024
• Publication title: Bay of Plenty Times

The changes include revision of stock exclusion, winter grazing, Te Mana o te Wai, mining consenting, and suspension of Significant Natural Area requirements

In announcing the Government’s plan, RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop highlighted five changes it expected to introduce in its legislation due to be introduced to Parliament in May.

He said the Government was aiming to “reduce the regulatory burden on resource consent applicants and support development in key sectors, including farming, mining and other primary industries”.

These were changes that could take effect quickly, and give certainty to councils and consent applicants, he said. The five changes he highlighted include:

❏Repeal intensive winter grazing regulations

❏Remove low-slope map from stock exclusion regulations

❏Suspend requirement for councils to identify new Significant Natural Areas for three years

❏Resource consents will no longer need to demonstrate accordance with Te Mana o te Wai hierarchy of obligations, during the review of the National Policy Statement on Freshwater Management

❏Coalmining consenting pathways are to be re-aligned with other mining activities in the National Policy Statements for Indigenous Biodiversity and Freshwater Management, and the National Environmental Standards for Freshwater (already been announced by Resources Minister Shane Jones).

Agriculture Minister Todd McClay said the stock exclusion and winter grazing changes had been agreed by Cabinet, and focused on farm-level and regionally suitable solutions.

Te Mana o te Wai was introduced to the Freshwater Management policy in 2014 by the previous National-led Coalition to stop waterways from degrading, and ideally improve the health of freshwater sources.

It has since been altered but the latest update in 2020 sets out priorities, with the health and wellbeing of the waterway foremost, the health needs of people prioritised second, and thirdly prioritising social, economic and cultural...