Sweeping changes to the rules governing councils' oversight of everything from housing - to mining - to agriculture - under the Resource Management Act are being released to the public for feedback.
The government has released three discussion documents covering 12 national policy statements and and national environmental standards, with the aim of having 16 new or updated ones replacing by the end of the year - ahead of legislation replacing the RMA next year.
The consultation covers three main topics: infrastructure and development, the primary sector and freshwater. It is open from 29 May to 27 July.
The topics cover a wide range of portfolios, the early afternoon announcement fronted by RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay, Energy Minister Simon Watts, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones, Associate Environment Minister Andrew Hoggard, and Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka.
Bishop, McClay and Watts - all from the National Party - were in Auckland at midday to front the policy in person.
Minister responsible for RMA reform Chris Bishop Photo: RNZ/Calvin Samuel
"The RMA embeds a culture of no, and as a country we have to start saying yes a lot more," Bishop said.
"The changes we're now proposing to national direction under the existing RMA give effect to a range of coalition commitments, can be done quickly and relatively easily, and will help unclog the growth arteries of the economy," Bishop said.
"Next year we'll replace the RMA with new legislation premised on property rights. Our new system will provide a framework that makes it easier to plan and deliver infrastructure and energy projects, as well a protecting the environment."
He confirmed the changes would not require legislation, and would be designed to "port into" the new resource management system the government hoped would replace the RMA by the end of 2026, coming into force in 2027.
"One of the things we've been doing over the last 12 months or so is getting some things done that New Zealanders want us to get done ... but they also want us to fundamentally replace the system as well.
"That does introduce some complexity but I think we've got the balance right."
He said it was a bottom line for the government to protect Treaty settlements - and that would also carry over into the new laws.
"We will protect them and we will honour them."
He said the approach the government had taken were specifically designed to avoid putting extra cost on councils, which would not need to amend district plans, "they just have to apply the environmental standards that the system is setting now".
"What we've done is deliberately taken an integrated approach and done it all at the same time ... in a way that will minimise cost to councils."
Freshwater
The changes would "rebalance Te Mana o te Wai to better reflect the interests of all water users", with councils able to "tailor" monitoring and management to local conditions.
Councils would be directed to consider how they could help ensure stable domestic food supply, including providing for crop rotation in regional plans.
Crop rotation within catchments could be allowed without a consent. Water storage rules would change aiming to ensure water flows during dry periods, protect against climate-change-caused drought, and reduce the need for extraction from natural rivers and lakes.
Wetland regulations would change aiming to protect water filtration, flood control, and habitat for diverse species.
The definition of "wetland" would be amended, now excluding unintentionally created "induced" wetlands, and allowing farming activities like irrigation, on-farm water
storage and fencing considered "unlikely" to have an adverse effect, while constructed wetlands would have a new objective, standards, and consent pathway.
Councils would no longer need to map wetlands by 2030, but Source Water Risk Management areas would now need to be mapped "to help safeguard drinking water sources from contamination".
The government is also proposing to "simplify" requirements for fish passages to reduce the administrative burden "while still providing appropriate protection".
Changes to rules for synthetic fertiliser are also proposed.
Agriculture Minister Todd McClay Photo: RNZ / Reece Baker
Bishop said the freshwater changes were a bit different from the others in that it offered a "range of options" rather than specific proposals, which would be developed after the initial consultation and consulted on again.
ACT's Simon Court, in a statement under an ACT Party letterhead - rather than as Undersecretary for RMA Reform - urged New Zealanders to submit on the freshwater changes, calling for Te Mana o te Wai to be scrapped entirely.
Bishop denied they had disagreed about the matter.
"No, Simon will be making that in his capacity as ACT party spokesperson, he's very entitled to his views ... there are coalition commitments to rebalancing Te Mana o te Wai to reflect the interests of all water users, and that's what the document puts forward.
"Simon's entitled to his views, but he's been a part of the development of these packages - particularly around the infrastructure chapter that we've published - because he's my undersecretary."
Primary sector
Highly productive land changes would extend the timeframes to 2027/28, see the removal of the "Land Use Capability 3" category - as campaigned on by National - and trial the use of "special agricultural areas".
Grazed beef cattle and deer in low intensity farms would no longer need to be kept out of wetlands.
In forestry, councils would lose the ability to set harder controls, slash would need to be planned for and - above a certain size - removed, and low-intensity harvesting will be permitted by default if "any relevant forest planning requirement is complied with".
Restrictions on mines and quarries in wetlands would be loosened.
"There are really restrictive rules around wetlands and indigenous biodiversity that make it all but impossible, frankly, to consent a quarry. That is a major driver of the cost of road construction in New Zealand ... we need them," Bishop said.
He rejected the characterisation that it was a "wholesale weakening of environmental standards".
Aquaculture changes aim to streamline consenting for activities and research, and allow small structures in coastal marine areas with no consent.
McClay said the government's proposals were "practical, farmer-focused reforms that will restore confidence and reduce red tape while still delivering environmental gains".
"Nationally determined bottom lines are not always appropriate and can be unachievable even in some catchments dominated by native bush ... we're putting outcomes ahead of process and backing rural New Zealand to be a part of the solution."
Infrastructure and development
Granny flats of up to 70sqm, and papakāinga of up to 10 homes would be allowed without a consent on specific land zones.
Papakāinga would also allow commercial activities of up to 100sqm, conservation activity, accommodation for up to eight guests, along with education, health, sports, marae, urupā and māra kai facilities.
Medium papakāinga of up to 30 homes would be considered a "restricted discretionary" activity, with those of more than 30 units becoming "discretionary" activities.
Energy changes include new policies on supporting the needs of the electricity network and management of environmental interests, and another new policy on recognising and providing for Māori interests in electricity transmission, and other changes.
These would allow more routine work on electricity networks, establish a National Grid Yard and Subdivision Corridor, and scrap consenting for distribution and EV charging infrastructure.
A new policy for natural hazards - covering flooding, landslips, coastal erosion, coastal inundation, active faults, liquefaction, and tsunami - would cover all environments and zones including coastal environments, directing councils to take a risk-based approach and assess risk based on "likelihood and consequence".
A definition of "significant risk" using a risk matrix would be provided, with councils directed to also use the best available information when making decisions.
In telecommunications, new poles would be allowed by default in more areas, with restrictions in the road reserve also removed. Renewable energy generation, temporary facilities and connection lines to heritage buildings for telecommunications would no longer need consenting.
Watts said the current policy statement on renewable energy generation was "far too vague, and too wooly".
"Right now New Zealand's energy infrastructure is vulnerable to severe weather events and seasonal shortages. By also changing the electicity generation and trans national direction we can improve both energy security and affordability while helping us to achieve our goals of doubling renewable energy by 2050."
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