Tuesday, 07 October 2025 11:55

Government issues warning on RMA compliance

Written by Staff Reporters

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RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop.

The Government has issued a stern warning to regional councils and unitary authorities to toe the line in respect upcoming changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA).

In a letter to the chairs and chief executives of local authorities, RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay and Environment Minister Penny Simmonds, say they are concerned at some of the reports they are hearing about what councils are still doing in respect of resource consents.

They say the message they are getting is that many resource consent processes are still unduly complex, characterised by excessive information requests and conditions that impose unnecessary cost and administrative burden on applicants.

They say this shouldn't be happening because the Government has many times outlined its intentions to replace the RMA and create a simplified system and this should be considered now.

In the letter, they say that there is a clear expectation of local authorities who oversee the use of land, water, and discharges to seek opportunities to streamline consenting processes and reduce onerous requirements wherever possible.

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