Tuesday, 27 August 2024 13:25

Greenmail?

Written by The Hound

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OPINION: In the latest example of how broken the RMA consents process is, Meridian Energy has paid out DoC, Fish & Game and iwi rather than risk them blocking the renewal of consents that it needs to keep running its Waitaki hydro scheme.

It's an open secret that it's easier to grease palms than it is to risk getting tied up for years by 'greenmail' demands from rent seekers.

In this case, Meridian agreed to pay, over 35 years, $73.5m to DoC, $2.8m to Central South Island Fish & Game, and an estimated, 'confidential' $104m to Ngai Tahu.

This old mutt reckons this is the tip of the iceberg - the consent process is buggered and is killing development.

The coming overhaul can't come soon enough.

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