Auchinvole Chris: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers Questions to Members 
Auchinvole Chris: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers Questions to Members 
[Volume:676;Page:21577] 
7. 
CHRIS AUCHINVOLE (National—West Coast - Tasman) 
 to the  
Minister for the Environment 
: What progress has the Government made in addressing the problem for homeowners and businesses of slow and delayed processing of resource consents since passing the Resource Management (Simplifying and Streamlining) Amendment Act 2009? 
Hon Dr NICK SMITH (Minister for the Environment) 
: 
 Delays in processing resource consents got progressively worse over the last decade from 18 percent in 2002 to 23 percent in 2004 to 27 percent in 2006 and to 31 percent of consents being late in 2008. In the last year only 5 percent of resource consents were late. This means that in contrast to 16107 consents being late in 2008 there were only 1807 late in the last year. 
Chris Auchinvole 
: What steps and progress have been made in addressing other problems over resource consent processing such as the councils granting themselves extensions of time for nearly one-third of consents and extensive and repeated requests for more information? 
Hon Dr NICK SMITH 
: The Government’s legislative changes limited the circumstances in which the councils could grant themselves an extension and also the number of further information requests. I am pleased that since 2008 the number of extensions of time has dropped from 15000 to 5400 and the number of further information requests has dropped from 22000 to 13000. These improvements show that the Government’s first phase of resource management reforms is working well and supporting the Government’s agenda for investment for jobs and for growth. The Government is planning a further phase of reforms to further improve the way in which the Resource Management Act works. 
Hon Trevor Mallard 
: Subsequent to the Minister’s last supplementary answer can he detail some of the policy points involved in the legislation currently being developed in the Ministry for the Environment for introduction in December or February if in fact his Government is returned? 
Hon Dr NICK SMITH 
: The National Party will be publishing an aggressive policy that will make further important changes to the Resource Management Act. They are changes that will for instance deal with the issues identified in the technical advisory group’s report on urban growth on issues of infrastructure and on getting greater collaboration and I invite the member to watch this space. The second phase of resource management reforms will be at least as effective as the first phase. 
Hon Trevor Mallard 
: Can he give this House an assurance that the items that the Ministry for the Environment is currently working on are not part of the National Party manifesto? 
Hon Dr NICK SMITH 
: I can give the member that absolute reassurance albeit the ministry is developing work on the technical advisory group’s report on both urban design and infrastructure. But the policy of the National Party is being written by the most capable blue-green caucus this Parliament has. Its 18 members are focused on making the Resource Management Act work. When that member was Minister things just got progressively worse.