Tizard Judith: Resource Management (Energy and Climate Change) Amendment Bill — Second Reading 
Tizard Judith: Resource Management (Energy and Climate Change) Amendment Bill — Second Reading 
[Volume:615;Page:11040] 
Hon JUDITH TIZARD (Minister of Consumer Affairs) 
 
 on behalf of the  
Convenor Ministerial Group on Climate Change 
: I move  
That the Resource Management (Energy and Climate Change) Amendment Bill be now read a second time 
. This is a small bill—it has only nine clauses. Excluding the preliminary provisions and transitional matters there are only three key clauses. The first clause changes section 7 of the Resource Management Act—that is matters to which those exercising functions and powers under the Act must have particular regard by adding the explicit requirement to consider the efficient use of energy the benefits derived from the use and development of renewable energy and the effects of climate change such as changes in typical rainfall patterns and sea-level rise. The remaining two clauses ensure the Government’s preference for national control of greenhouse gas emissions does not result in emitters facing duplication of controls. 
Except when considering the benefits of lower greenhouse gas emitting renewable energies or implementing a national environmental standard the bill removes the ability for regional councils to consider the effect of greenhouse gas emissions on climate change when writing rules and deciding on consent applications. These provisions include national direction on energy efficiency and climate change matters. They provide clarity about what councils should and should not be considering in this regard and accordingly will assist consistency in approach between councils. 
The Local Government and Environment Committee received 40 submissions along with a number of late submissions and further information. I understand that a significant amount of the material was of a very detailed and often technical nature. I thank the select committee for its thorough consideration of this material. The committee reported back to the House on 8 December last year and recommended by majority that the bill be passed with amendments. 
The amendments provided by the committee are constructive and helpful. They add clarity and correct drafting errors without requiring substantive change. Three key amendments recommended by the committee are: clarifying that efficiency of use of energy refers to “end use”; removing the unintentional narrowing created by references to “industrial and trade premises”; and clarifying that in considering the benefits of lower greenhouse gas emissions from renewable energy consideration should be given in both the absolute and the comparative sense. 
The Government’s intention when explicitly providing for the efficient use of energy in section 7 of the Resource Management Act relates to efficiencies in the use or application of energy rather than efficiencies in the initial conversion processes—for example when planning land use activities and roading networks. Accordingly the Government supports the clarification provided by the committee in narrowing the consideration to “end use”. Similarly the Government supports the clarification provided by the committee in recommending that all reference to industrial and trade premises be removed from the bill; leaving it in would narrow the scope unintentionally. 
On the last matter the committee was concerned that reference to “reduces the discharge” is ambiguous. It recommends that both an absolute discharge and a comparative one be explicitly provided for in the bill. The Government agrees to that. I commend the bill to the House.