'Pricey, pointless' council work halted ahead of RMA overhaul
The government is putting the brakes on "pricey, pointless" council planning work ahead of its major shake-up of resource management laws.
Speaking in Christchurch today, RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop described the move as a "kind intervention" designed to relieve pressure on councils' resources.
Many councils were still spending time and money reviewing plans under the existing Resource Management Act (RMA) - even though the entire regime would be replaced by 2027, he said.
"There is little point in progressing long and costly hearings on a plan change that will be incompatible with the new planning system, or probably won't even be complete by the time the new system is switched on," Bishop told the Local Government NZ conference.
The government would suspend the requirement on councils to review plans every 10 years, and prevent new plan changes from being notified - unless they met certain exemptions, such as for natural hazard management or Treaty settlements.
Councils would also be required to withdraw proposed plan changes that had yet to reach the hearing stage.
Bishop said the decision had been made after careful consideration and a recommendation from an expert advisory group.
"The government's intention is that stopping plan requirements for councils will enable them to focus on critical work to prepare to transition to the new system." 'Time for excuses is over'
Bishop framed the move in the context of "serious questions" about the performance of councils but acknowledged that central government had historically not made their job easy.
He said the coalition was now doing its bit by providing more financing and funding tools and a simpler planning system.
"We are getting our house in order. It's time you sorted yours out," he told councils.
Bishop revived the coalition's call for councils to tighten their belts and focus their priorities on housing and infrastructure.
"It's okay to build a local road without spending hundreds of thousands on artworks," he said. "Not everything you do has to be an architectural masterpiece.
"The only awards your projects should be winning are for cost-efficiency and effectiveness."
In his speech, Bishop also gave a nod to recent discussion about the possibility of scrapping regional councils - given the RMA changes would remove many of their existing jobs.
"We're having a look at the functions we will need in the new system. Nothing is off the table, but I am mindful of the scale and pace of change that we're undertaking already."
The government intends to introduce its new legislation by the end of this year, to be passed next year and then brought into force in 2027.
"The time for excuses is over," Bishop told the audience. "The culture of 'yes' starts now."
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