RMA Reform: B+LNZ Says Draft Legislation Misses Government’s Intent
Beef + Lamb NZ (B+LNZ) is calling for significant changes to the Government’s reforms to the Resource Management Act (RMA).
The organisation, which represents growers across the horticulture sector, warns that without key changes to the Natural Environment Bill and Planning Bill, the new resource management system could make it harder for growers to produce fruit and vegetables.
Kate Scott, chief executive of HortNZ, says reform of the RMA is overdue, adding that the sector backs the Government's aim to create a simpler, faster and less expensive system.
However, Scott says the current draft legislation does not match that promise.
"Along with the rest of the primary sector, we are working hard to ensure the new system genuinely delivers fewer consents, lower compliance costs, and better conditions for food production and rural development," she says.
"What's at stake is the ability of New Zealand growers to continue producing nutritious fruit and vegetables for New Zealanders and our global markets, while also supporting tens of thousands of regional jobs and maintaining the country's strong export earnings."
"Horticulture is a sector New Zealand depends on every day - for food on tables, for employment and for economy growth," Scott says. "The new system has to enable that, not make it harder."
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HortNZ has major concerns about proposals within the Natural Environment Bill which the organisation says could introduce what amounts to a tax or auction system for natural resources like water.
"The Bill includes options for market-based allocation or levies. In practice, market-based allocation could mean auctions or tenders where water, or the ability to discharge nutrients, goes to the highest bidder," Scott says.
She says a levy would effectively be a tax on water or on farming activity.
"That is not the right approach for food production."
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Horticulture New Zealand says the Natural Environment Planning Bill could ntroduce what amounts to a tax or auction system for natural resources like water. |
HortNZ is also concerned by how the Bill could potentially treat growers operating in overallocated catchments, areas where freshwater quality is worse than the target states.
“HortNZ supports strong environmental limits. However, the draft Bill would not allow permitted activities in any overallocated catchments, which is more restrictive than the RMA, requiring consenting for many horticultural activities that are currently permitted because they have a low environmental impact.
“We need a sensible pathway that allows food production to continue while still driving ongoing environmental improvement.”
HortNZ is particularly concerned about how the two Bills expect spatial planning, environmental limits and resource allocation to interact.
“The legislation currently has spatial planning happening first, before limits are set or resources like water are allocated.
“In our view, it doesn’t make sense to zone land as highly productive or set it aside for food production without also ensuring growers can access the water and discharge pathways needed to actually grow on that land.
“We’ve asked for limits to be set before or alongside spatial planning, and for allocation decisions to properly enable the productive use of highly productive land.”
