BECOME A MEMBER
Connecting New Zealand

Submission - initial consultation on RMA fast track consenting

12 Feb 2024


CCNZ, along with other industry organisations, engaged with Ministry for the Environment to help inform the government’s preliminary resource management reform policy around the fast tracked consenting of infrastructure projects.

Due to limited consultation timeframes, CCNZ based its submission on previous RMA reform advocacy. The fast tracked consenting bill is expected to be introduced by 7 March as part of the Government's 100-day plan, and enacted late 2024. There will also be opportunities for wider feedback from CCNZ members through a select committee process.

Key comments on fast tracking of infrastructure projects under the RMA 

  • CCNZ supports fast track consenting for infrastructure projects. It is currently too common and too costly for projects to be held up by endless and costly debate without satisfactory outcomes for any of the parties involved.

  • CCNZ notes there is precedent for fast tracking of projects in the manner suggested by the Government.

  • It is important fast-track consenting can be applied to a range of project scales. Because of this, we consider the ‘national, regional and locally significant’ approach to be appropriate (although how this is applied will need consideration). 

  • If fast tracked consenting is to become normalised, it is important there is capacity to conduct this at the appropriate scale. 

  • Poor outcomes happen when day to day infrastructure construction is passed over in favour of megaprojects / glamour projects. It is important that any fast track consenting process does not detract from ability to deliver ongoing programmes of infrastructure construction and maintenance. 

  • Fast track consenting should also consider enabling infrastructure such as quarries and cleanfill sites, to ensure projects can be conducted with reduced waste and maximum efficiency. Infrastructure projects should not be considered as separate from the regions in which they are taking place.

  • It is important that environmental impacts can be balanced, and remedial actions proposed as part of consent conditions.

  • There are several other processes involved in infrastructure project delivery (for instance land designations, access arrangements, Department of Conservation concessions, and more). These should be considered in an integrated approach alongside the wider legislative framework, if the process is truly to be streamlined.

  • It is important this process is as de-politicised in its application as it can be. Because of this, it seems appropriate for an independent entity to handle the allocation of projects, lest projects become victim to political point-scoring.

 

Read the full submission provided to the Ministry for the Environment>>

 

 

RELATED


Principal Business Partner
Core Associates
Major Associates
Coninnova Limited
Turners Group Ltd: Head Office/Auckland
ENZED
ERoad Ltd
Holcim New Zealand Ltd
Youngman Richardson
Westpac NZ Ltd
Crediflex New Zealand Limited
Solo
Marley NZ Ltd
Enviro NZ Services Ltd
New Zealand Transport Agency
Hydraulink Fluid Connecters Ltd
Checksafe Ltd
Komatsu New Zealand Ltd
Connexis
TotalEnergies NZ Ltd
Rimkus
TR Group
Nulca NZ
Trade Me Jobs
Central Group
RB Recruitment
Graymont
Parallaxx
BNZ Partners
A B Equipment Ltd
Advice Financial
Mico New Zealand Ltd
AEL
Brolube New Zealand
Remarkable People Ltd
Humes Pipeline Systems
Aptella
Porter Group Limited
Hynds Pipe Systems
RobLawMax Recruitment
Infrastructure Sustainability Council
Infrastructure New Zealand
Wirtgen NZ Ltd
AECOM New Zealand Limited
Liebherr New Zealand
Terra Cat
Geofabrics New Zealand Ltd
TDX Ltd
First Gas
Iplex Pipelines NZ
SITECH NZ
n3
Greenlight Insurance Brokers
Global Survey - Auckland
Teletrac Navman
The Drug Detection Agency
Assignar
Firth Certified Concrete
UDC Finance
Winstone Aggregates
Terra Infrastructure Pty Ltd
H.J. Asmuss & Co. Ltd
MATES In Construction
Kobelco New Zealand
Doug the Digger
Commercial Hire NZ Ltd
Portacom New Zealand Limited
Northpine Ltd
Bridon Cookes
Brandt Tractor Limited
Prime Fluid Management
AWF
Franklin Smith Group
MIMICO NZ Ltd
beforeUdig
SAMI Bitumen Technologies Pty Ltd
Vertical Horizonz NZ Ltd
MBP (NZ) Ltd
Over and Out Communications
John Deere Limited
TRIG Instruments
Geosynthetic Partners International Ltd
Absolute Immigration NZ
GHD Limited
Reliance Reinforcing Limited
Plan A
Fluiconnecto Ryco New Zealand Ltd
CivilShare
Manage Company

Login





Forgot password?
Create an Account