A panel has prepared a 531-page doorstopper of a report recommending splitting the law into two separate pieces of legislation, a National Built Environments Act and a Strategic Planning Act.
Not only has the RMA become unwieldy and expensive, it has not succeeded in improving economic well being nor recognising that judicious development and enhancing the environment can go hand-in-hand.
One recommendation of the proposed new legislation that will be welcomed is that of reducing the more than 100 policy statements and plans down to a more manageable 14. The panel believes that will lead to better quality plans, resolution of uncertainty created by overlaps bedevilling relationships between regional and local councils and fewer resource consent applications.
Gerard Hutching
New resource law
If the recommendations of a new report are accepted the Resource Management Act will be axed and replaced by two acts and the number of regional plans will shrink from more than 100 to 14.
Drought damage lingers
Central Hawke’s Bay farmers are now faced with higher rates of metabolic diseases and nitrate toxicity along with lower than usual scanning percentages following the drought.
New use for Fairton
Talleys is to give the Silver Fern Farms’ Fairton meat processing plant a new lease of life by using it to support its vegetable production on neighbouring farmland.
Waikato rain needed
Waikato farmers are not out of the woods when it comes to drought, with autumn rain failing to penetrate down to the subsoil. More rain will be needed to avoid a dry summer.
Water top of agenda
Issues related to freshwater management are shaping up to be key election talking points. Leading primary sector lobby groups are calling for a new approach.
Tonight on Sarah’s Country
7.10pm – Two island nations, despite being on opposite sides of the globe, New Zealand and Ireland have long been connected by a shared focus on innovation and both continue to push boundaries in the agri-tech sector. Gail Hendricks from Fieldays will explain more.
7.20pm – Global news that traces of glyphosate have been found in New Zealand honey is prompting concern for our high-value manuka industry. We will get an update from Apiculture New Zealand chief executive Karin Kos as well as celebrate the Innovation Award win of Hivesite, an automatic, chemical-free varroa mite application technology.
7.30pm – An increasing number of farmers are turning to alternatives to traditional paths to farm ownership as banks tighten lending criteria. Rabobank national farm ownership operations manager Brent Irving joins us to discuss how we can get more young people into farm ownership positions.
7.40pm – The tahr cull has proceeded onwards into our national parks despite the hunter protests and the High Court injunction. Tahr Foundation spokesman Willie Duley will discuss what's next in saving the animals from slaughter and how Crown pastoral lease properties are next.
