Goldsmith Paul; Parker DavidHon PAUL GOLDSMITH (National): I note that the Minister said it's just the same as what's in the Resource Management Act (RMA) in relation to subdivisions and surveys and allotments which is the sort of meat and drink of actually getting things done and building houses building new houses and trying to increase the supply of houses to deal with the housing affordability issues that we have. So it's pretty fundamental about the work of part of this Act to get things done and to help people get into houses more cheaply and effectively. The question I have is: to say well yes the clauses and the meaning of all this is unchanged from the RMA but what impact does the changed purpose of this legislation as it interacts with this section have if any on this section? So if we're talking about requirements for approving survey plans for example in clause 572 what impact does the same law that we currently have under the RMA—what impact does the different purpose of this legislation have on the operation or handling of that? Because now we have to take into account te Oranga o te Taiao—the interconnectedness of all parts of the environment the relationship between iwi and hapū and te taiao and that is based on whakapapa the relationship between the health of the natural environment—all these sorts of concepts which I have no idea what they mean in practice. I imagine that we will be spending a lot of time in the courts trying to figure that out but I'd be interested to know what the Minister thinks. What sort of impact if any will that different purpose and different sort of framework for the whole Act have when it comes to the specifics of the approval of survey plans of the certificate of approval from a territorial authority the requirements relating to subdivisions—all those basic things which he says hasn't been changed?But my fundamental question is: will it operate in the same way and will it be more efficient or less efficient? Will it be easier for people to subdivide their property and build new houses or will it be harder? Will they in some way have to demonstrate that they understand the relationship between the health of the natural environment and its capacity or will they have to try to explain what the health of the natural environment is? Will they have to sort of demonstrate when they're dividing things up that they understand the interconnectedness of all parts of the environment whatever that means? So those are the sorts of questions I have for the Minister.Hon DAVID PARKER (Minister for the Environment): The provisions of Part 9 are very very mechanical. It's about if you have a subdivision what documentation do you need? You need a plan a survey plan—that's covered here. There are requirements of survey plans that are sent out; there are requirements relating to conditions of the subdivision or consent. Now these are very mechanical issues as described in Part 9 and they really are a carryover of the Resource Management Act.In respect of the member's question What does the impact of the purpose clause on these provisions have?": very little. These are very detailed mechanical provisions. In respect of "Do these provisions change the supply of land under the new system?": no they don't. If the supply of land increases under the new Act these are the mechanical provisions to give effect to those subdivisions. Will there be an increase in supply of land? Yes there will be. That increase in the supply of land comes from earlier parts of the Act that we've already debated.But for example "System outcomes" in clause 5(7)(b) one of them is that the "development capacity in relation to housing and business land [be] available well ahead of expected demand". So we are baking into the system in a way that I think virtually every party in the House now agrees with expansive land markets so that we don't drive house prices too high through artificial scarcity of building opportunities. But that really has no effect on Part 9. That's just once that happens Part 9 is administrative as to how you give effect to a subdivision."