National set to deliver its plans for RMA reform

Nick Smith

National's Resource Management Act reforms being unveiled today will include a plan for the direct referral of major projects to the Environment Court.

Leader Don Brash and environment spokesman Nick Smith will release the party's RMA policy at noon at Western Springs Stadium, where arguments over noise from the speedway have raged for several years.

Referrals would be for major projects likely to end up in the court because of their size, scale or controversial nature.

Dr Smith said an example of a project that could be referred was the Waikato power pylons project.

Associate Environment Minister David Benson-Pope claimed yesterday that National would allow large-scale projects to proceed without the scrutiny of local communities.

National would move the act's overriding goal away from sustainable management to a "development focus".

Dr Smith said direct referral had been favoured by National since 1998 and the process would still allow local community input.

"When everybody knows a project is going to go through to the Environment Court appeal, we just think it's waste of time to have a long, arduous and expensive first round of council hearings."

Dr Smith said the policy would incorporate many of the amendments in former National Government minister Simon Upton's bill that was rejected by Labour in its first term.

The policy would include new reform plans that have come from some submissions made in recent years on attempts to fix the law.

National viewed the act has having become a huge burden on those creating wealth and jobs and those seeking to build much-needed infrastructure.

The Government intends passing its own amendments during Parliament's final session, which starts tomorrow.