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Resource Management System: A comprehensive review
The Government is undertaking a comprehensive review of the resource management system with a focus on the RMA.
This is an opportunity to design a system that delivers better outcomes for the environment, people and the economy. To be successful, we need to design a resource management system that responds to our distinct environmental, social and cultural context.
New Zealand's physical characteristics and unique biodiversity
the Treaty and the relationship between iwi/Māori and the Crown
the significant ways we all value and connect with the environment.
The Resource Management Review Panel is leading the review.
From the panel chair
Profiles of panel members
Review scope and process
Korihi ake ngā manu
Tākiri mai i te ata
Ka ao, ka ao, ka awatea
Tihei mauri ora
Tēnā koutou katoa
I am honoured to chair the panel undertaking the comprehensive review of the resource management system.
Much has changed in Aotearoa New Zealand in the period since the Resource Management Act was introduced in 1991.
Serious challenges have emerged in our ability to respond quickly to urban development pressures and to house our people in liveable communities. And we are facing a significant new threat in dealing with climate change. The natural environment has also suffered with deteriorating freshwater quality in our streams and rivers and diminishing biodiversity amongst many concerns.
Our understanding of the unique relationship between the Crown and Māori through the Treaty of Waitangi has developed.
There are now 70 pieces of settlement redress legislation with 76 Māori groups (iwi, hapu and various collectives). Treaty settlements have evolved through innovative arrangements which acknowledge the relationship Māori have to natural resources. However, much more needs to be done to ensure that the principle of partnership inherent in the Treaty moves towards an everyday reality.
Successive governments have amended the Resource Management Act many times since its enactment and ad hoc measures have been adopted in an attempt to address the issues we are now confronting.
The time is ripe to undertake a comprehensive review of the Resource Management Act and other significant legislation within the resource management system.
The Resource Management Review Panel has been established to undertake that task.
The overall aim is to improve environmental outcomes and enable better and timely development in urban areas and elsewhere within environmental limits. It is an exciting and ambitious assignment and an opportunity to undertake a thorough examination of the resource management system. This may well result in recommendations for far-reaching reform designed to achieve our ultimate goal of enabling all New Zealanders to thrive in a healthy environment both now and for generations to come.
The Review Panel has already begun to engage with stakeholders, iwi/Māori and members of the public in preparing this paper.
This engagement will continue over the coming months as we work to develop a preferred approach to reform.
In mid-November we released an Issues and options paper. We welcome comments on this paper no later than Monday 3 February 2020.
Hon Tony Randerson QC
Chair, Resource Management Review Panel
Hon Tony Randerson QC - Chair
Hon Randerson is a former lawyer and judge with extensive experience in resource management law. He was appointed Queen's Counsel in 1996. He was subsequently appointed as a High Court Judge in 1997 and was made the Chief High Court Judge in 2004. In 2010 he was appointed to the Court of Appeal where he served until his retirement in May 2017. He is a Distinguished Fellow at the Faculty of Law at University of Auckland. In 1990, Hon Randerson chaired the group that reviewed the Resource Management Bill before it was enacted as the RMA in 1991.
Rachel Brooking
Rachel Brooking is a specialist environment and local government lawyer. She is a Senior Associate of law firm Anderson Lloyd. Rachel has a degree in ecology and previously worked for the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment. Rachel is Chair of the Otago/Southland branch of the Resource Management Law Association.
Dean Kimpton
Dean Kimpton has been Chief Operating Officer at Auckland Council and Managing Director at engineering and planning consultancy AECOM. He is currently a member of the Building Advisory Panel for the Ministry for Business, Innovation and Employment, and has previously been a board member of Infrastructure New Zealand. He is a qualified civil engineer and is a Past President of Engineering New Zealand.
Amelia Linzey
Amelia Linzey is a leading planner. She is Senior Technical Director of the planning team at engineering and planning consultancy Beca. Amelia has been a member of the Advisory Board for the New Zealand Sustainable Business Council and an editor for the New Zealand Planning Institute's official journal.
Raewyn Peart MNZM
Raewyn Peart has extensive experience in environmental law and policy. She is currently the Policy Director at the Environmental Defence Society (EDS) and was leading its Reform of the resource management system project. She was a member of the collaborative Sea Change - Tai Timu Tai Pari - Stakeholder Working Group which successfully prepared a marine spatial plan for the Hauraki Gulf, the first in New Zealand.
Kevin Prime MBE ONZM
Kevin Prime is of Ngāti Hine, Ngāti Whatua, Tainui and Welsh descent. He is a beef farmer, forester, and conservationist based in Northland. He is an Environment Commissioner with the Environment Court. Kevin has served on committees and advisory groups pertaining to a wide range of issues, including Māori affairs, conservation, health and fresh water.
Review scope
The scope of the review includes looking at the RMA and how it interfaces with the:
Land Transport Management Act 2003
Climate Change Response Act, to be amended by the Zero Carbon Amendment Bill.
The scope includes spatial planning. This has the potential to help us make better and more strategic decisions about resources and infrastructure over longer timeframes.
Diagram showing what is and isn't in the scope of the review
Blue areas are in scope and grey areas are not in scope.
Diagram description
Venn diagram showing the scope of the review. The RMA is within scope of the review, including how it interfaces with the Local Government Act, the Land Transport Management Act, and the Climate Change Response Act. This includes spatial planning which works at the intersection of the RMA, the LGA and the LTMA. Areas of others Acts which do not intersect with the RMA are out of scope.
Determine issues and options to be considered by the review
The Resource Management Review Panel (the panel) has written a paper on issues and options to be considered and addressed by the review.
To provide feedback on the issues and options email rmreview@mfe.govt.nz by 3 February 2020.
Recommendations to the Environment Minister on how to reform the RMA
The panel will provide a report to the Environment Minister with its recommendations on reforming the RMA. This will include detailed policy proposals and indicative drafting of legalisation for key provisions. It is due in mid 2020.
The Government plans to consult on the proposals once finalised.
RMA reform proposals developed
The Ministry for the Environment will work closely with the panel to develop proposals for public consultation in 2020.
24 July 2019: Launch of the comprehensive review of the resource management system and the appointment of the Chair of the Resource Management Review Panel
9 September 2019: Appointment of Resource Management Review Panel
9 September 2019 to March 2020: Review panel engagement with stakeholders, iwi/Māori and expert reference groups
9 September 2019 to May 2020: Review panel policy development process
10 September 2019: Preliminary sketch of issues and options released
12 November 2019: Issues and options paper released
3 February 2020: Responses close on Issues and options paper
31 May 2020: Final report due to be delivered to the Minister for the Environment
From June 2020: Government engagement with iwi/Māori and stakeholders. Engagement with the public.
Issues and options
The panel released its Issues and options paper in November 2019.
The panel previously released the Preliminary outline of the issues and options [PDF, 75 KB].
See the Terms of reference for the Resource Management Review Panel [PDF, 806 KB].
You can also read the Draft terms of reference which were released earlier in the year.
Cabinet's decisions about the review
See the folllowing Cabinet papers:
Comprehensive review of the resource management system - confirming the scope and terms of reference and Minute of the decision
Comprehensive review of the resource management system: scope and process and Minute of the decision
Appointing the chair of the resource management review panel
Appointing members of the Resource Management Review Panel and and replacing a member of the Essential Freshwater Independent Advisory Panel
Ministers' letters
The Environment Minister invited other ministers to suggest what the review should cover. Some of their responses are available below.
Hon Kelvin Davis, Minister for Māori Crown Relations:Te Arawhiti, 27 August 2019 [PDF, 1.2 MB]
Hon Kelvin Davis, Minister of Corrections, 24 October 2019 [PDF, 1.1 MB]
Hon Phil Twyford, Minister of Transport, 26 August 2019 [PDF,780 KB]
Hon Chris Hipkins, Minister of Education, 10 September 2019 [PDF, 1 MB]
Hon Damien O'Connor, Minister of Agriculture, 1 September 2019 [PDF, 719 KB]
Hon Ron Mark, Minister of Defence, 2 September 2019 [PDF, 731 KB]
Hon Nanaia Mahuta, Minister of Local Government, 9 September 2019 [PDF, 610 KB]
Hon Dr Megan Woods, Hon Phil Twyford, Hon Nanaia Mahuta, and Hon Kris Faafoi as the collective Housing and Urban Development Ministers, 10 September 2019 [PDF, 2 MB]
Hon Eugenie Sage, Minister for Conservation, 30 August 2019 [PDF,237 KB]
Hon Dr Megan Woods, Minister of Energy and Resources, 30 August 2019 [PDF,722 KB]
Hon Julie Anne Genter, Associate Minister for Health, 2 September 2019 [PDF, 3.4 MB]
Hon Stuart Nash, Minister of Fisheries, 2 October 2019 [PDF, 625 KB].
What is the resource management review?
The review is a comprehensive review of the resource management system, focusing on the Resource Management Act 1991 (RMA).
The review includes the interface of the RMA with the Local Government Act 2002, the Land Transport Management Act 2003 and the Climate Change Response Act 2002.
The review will consider a new role for spatial planning, looking at plans and processes across the RMA, LGA and LTMA. This will include new ways to improve planning responses to the pressures of urban growth, and better manage environmental effects.
The review aims to improve intergenerational wellbeing by strengthening environmental protection and better enabling urban development outcomes within environmental limits.
Who's doing the review?
The review is being led by the Resource Management Review Panel (the Panel). This group of experts will deliver reform proposals for public consultation, including indicative legislative drafting for key sections of the RMA, by mid-2020.
Hon Tony Randerson QC is chairing the Panel. The other members are:
Kevin Prime MBE ONZM.
What is the Issues and options paper about?
The Issues and options paper is the start of a conversation by the panel about issues facing New Zealand today: housing our people in liveable communities, dealing with climate change, deteriorating freshwater quality in our streams and rivers and diminishing biodiversity.
It is intended to stimulate thinking to assist in the panel's task to deliver reform proposals.
How can I provide comment on the issues and options paper?
Everyone is welcome to comment on the issues and options via RMreview@mfe.govt.nz.
What will the panel do with my comments?
Your comments will help inform the development of the panel's proposals for reform.
The panel will deliver a final report. This is due to the Minister for the Environment at the end of May 2020.
How will the panel engage with iwi/Māori and key stakeholders?
The panel has been meeting with iwi/Māori and key stakeholders and will continue to engage with them over the course of the review. The panel will also work with reference groups on certain important topics of interest: the natural and rural environment, urban and built environment and te ao Māori.
How can I stay up to date on the work of the panel?
Keep checking back at the website where the panel will post updates and proactively release papers as they are finalised.
When will decisions be made on the Resource Management Act 1991 (RMA)?
This review of the resource management system will conclude with a proposal for resource management reform, including some indicative legislative drafting for key sections of the RMA This proposal will be provided to the Minister for the Environment in mid-2020.
The panel's proposals will be used to develop the Government's proposals for reform that will be consulted on.
Ministers' media releases on the Beehive website
Resource management reform options released 13 November 2019
Comprehensive overhaul of the RMA 24 July 2019
Two-step RMA reform to start by fixing the previous government's blunders, 9 November 2018
email rmreview@mfe.govt.nz