KEY POINTS:
National's overhaul of the Resource Management Act should cut the time and cost it takes to get consent for major national projects such as power stations to just nine months.
While the power was going out in Auckland, Prime Minister John Key fronted the RMA announcement at Parliament yesterday saying the changes were needed more than ever with the economic environment.
"The RMA has been a handbrake on growth," he said. "We need to unlock that lost growth potential and untangle the red tape suffocating everyone from homeowners to businesses."
As well as cutting the time the resource consent process takes, it will effectively outlaw what it sees as abuses of the act, where trade rivals try to block competitors' applications for anti-competitive reasons.
Officials estimate 20 per cent of the objections fell into that category.
The specifics around the RMA changes mark the start of a series of tangible policies the Government will roll out in response to the deepening global recession.
Mr Key will be making a major economic speech in Waitakere this morning where he will announce measures aimed at reducing pressure on small to medium business enterprises.
In Wellington next week, Finance Minister Bill English and Mr Key are expected to outline the smaller-scale infrastructure projects that the Government will accelerate to stimulate work.
The big-ticket infrastructure projects that will get a head start in the recession will be decided later in the year.
Applications for major national projects will be made to a new agency, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which will be an expanded version of the existing Environmental Risk Management Authority.
The EPA will direct major applications to a board of inquiry to be chaired by a current or former Environment Court judge and a decision would have to be made within nine months. As an example, Environment Minister Nick Smith cited the Mokihinui Hydro proposal of state-owned Meridian for a dam on the West Coast.
It would be the biggest hydro project for 20 years and was being heard by one of the smallest councils in the country, the Buller District Council.
"I don't think any of us really believe they have the competence for dealing with a 4000-page resource consent application probably being processed by the same guy that does building consents and dog control," Dr Smith said.
Under the changed law, the council would no longer have a quasi-judicial role and would be able to advocate to the inquiry for or against the project. It would also be able to appoint a representative to the inquiry.
Hearings for the Mokihinui project have almost finished.
Meridian external relations manager Claire Shaw said the cost of the project was estimated at $300 million but that was heavily dependent on the time the resource process took.
"If the new reforms create a streamlined process, that can only benefit the industry and consumers ultimately," she said.
Dr Smith said the Resource Management (Simplify and Streamline) Amendment Bill 2009 of more than 100 amendments to the RMA would be introduced next week.
He had agreed not to change section 8 of the act requiring decisions to take into account the Treaty of Waitangi - after strong representations from the Maori Party.
Dr Smith said the technical advisers on the bill said that case law had helped to clarify requirements of consultation under the section, and iwi had "considerably improved their professionalism in the resource consent process."
* Cases that prompted reforms
Nick Smith gave these examples of projects delayed by the RMA process:
Wairau Pak'n Save: The proposal to develop a Pak'n Save supermarket on Wairau Road on the North Shore has been embroiled in litigation since the 1990s. Consents have been granted several times only to be appealed to higher courts, and although the supermarket building has been constructed, it is unable to operate due to ongoing litigation.
Wellington Inner-City Bypass: In 1992 Transit and Wellington City Council approved a design in principle. Finally opened in 2007 15 years later.
Long Bay Structure Plan: 12-year planning process characterised by disagreement between North Shore City Council and developer ended with Environment Court issuing a decision in favour of the council-proposed Structure Plan.
Whangamata Marina: Initially proposed in 1995, the Whangamata Marina proposal is still awaiting a final decision after the High Court directed the then Minister of Conservation to set his decision aside and reconsider the applications.
Alpurt B: (Albany to Puhoi Realignment) State Highway One RMA approvals took approximately 10 years from lodgement to completion.
