8. Question No. 8—EnvironmentNICOLA WILLIS (National) to the Minister for the EnvironmentQuestion No. 8—Environment8. NICOLA WILLIS (National) to the Minister for the Environment: Does he agree with the Reserve Bank's statement that land use restrictions impede the ability of the market to increase the supply of houses when demand for houses increases. As a result house prices tend to increase more than otherwise"; if so what specific steps is he taking to reduce those restrictions in the next 12 months?Hon DAVID PARKER (Minister for the Environment): Yes which is why the Government's already introduced a number of measures to free up land supply. We've updated the National Policy Statement on Urban Development (NPSUD) requiring councils to make more building opportunities available up and out; we're actively considering measures to bring forward plan changes to comply with the NPSUD; we're already using the streamlined planning process to help councils rezone land; we're well under way in developing the replacement for the Resource Management Act (RMA); we're removing interest deductibility for existing rental properties while incentivising investment in new builds; we've had Minister Woods' announcement of the $3.8 billion infrastructure fund to unlock a mix of private sector and Government-led developments; we're progressing more fast-track consent processes under the COVID recovery Act; and for example just this week I put forward a housing development of 1000 houses south of Christchurch for fast-track consideration.Nicola Willis: How many of the 30 or so projects listed for fast-tracking under the COVID recovery Act have actually been approved?Hon DAVID PARKER: A minority of them because the main delay is the delay by applicants filing their applications once they've been given approval to use the process. There have been no undue delays in consideration by any of the panels in respect of applications that have been filed by applicants and indeed there are statutory time frames that guide those processes.Nicola Willis: Can he confirm his reported statement that his programme of RMA reform is unlikely to affect the housing market until possibly 2024 or 2025?Hon DAVID PARKER: I'm not sure that those were my words. The point I was making was that we can't wait upon RMA reform—that's not going to be finished for a couple of years—to respond to the current crisis. That's why we've done all those other measures that I listed in the answer to the primary question which have been enabled under existing legislation plus amendments that we've made including the fast-track consenting model. In respect of that I would note that there are mixed views within society and indeed I've received representations—as have other members of Parliament—from the member's colleagues in the Opposition opposing the use of the fast-track processes.Nicola Willis: Why won't he act with urgency and legislate interim measures to reduce the RMA delays he describes and to release new homes for development that are so desperately needed right now?Hon DAVID PARKER: Well it's not correct to say that we haven't. I've actually listed some of the legislative interventions—Hon Member: You haven't!SPEAKER: Order!Hon DAVID PARKER: Well the member should have listened because I have including the fast-tracked consenting that I mentioned. I think the best approach for the Opposition would be instead of opposing things like the urban development legislation that they voted against to back the Government's programme and other legislative interventions that we will bring in due course."