8. Question No. 8—RMA ReformHon RACHEL BROOKING (Labour—Dunedin) to the Minister responsible for RMA ReformQuestion No. 8—RMA Reform8. Hon RACHEL BROOKING (Labour—Dunedin) to the Minister responsible for RMA Reform: Does he stand by his statement that we've replicated … the same law that Labour adopted" about the proposed changes to the Fast-track Approvals Bill?Hon CHRIS BISHOP (Minister responsible for RMA Reform): Yes in the context with which it was given. Let me read out the full quote from what the member said in her primary question: "The expert panel process is specifically designed to set environmental conditions that will apply to projects as they go through the fast track and that's exactly the same way the Labour Government COVID-19 fast track worked as well where the Government—the Minister—picks projects. In Labour's case it was the Minister for the Environment; in our case it would be the Minister for Infrastructure. They pick the projects send them off to expert panels which will be constituted very similarly to the way Labour's fast-track process worked. They set the conditions for those projects and then have the final sign-off over those projects so we've replicated the same law that Labour adopted." So I stand by my full comment which is accurate.Hon Rachel Brooking: Is it correct that Labour's fast-track law included in its purpose to support the economy the requirement "while continuing to promote the sustainable management of natural and physical resources." whereas the purpose clause in his bill does not refer to sustainable management?Hon CHRIS BISHOP: Well the member doesn't need to ask me that. She's sitting right next to the guy who designed it. I encourage her to turn to her right and ask the question but the member already knows the answer is yes—there is a difference in the purpose statements as currently drafted remembering that the bill is before the select committee.Hon Rachel Brooking: Why was the reference to sustainable management removed from the purpose clause of his fast-track bill between policy papers and the bill as introduced?Hon CHRIS BISHOP: Because the purpose of the fast-track bill is to facilitate the development of regionally and nationally significant projects; because we have an infrastructure deficit a housing crisis and an energy shortage and we need to rebuild this economy. The purpose of the fast-track bill is to make it easier for all of the projects in the areas I've just mentioned to be built.Hon Rachel Brooking: Why did he say in this House that there's many protections for the environment in the Fast-track Approvals Bill when the clear scheme of the bill as he's just outlined is to override protections found in the Resource Management Act such as water conservation orders the Conservation Act and the Wildlife Act?Hon CHRIS BISHOP: I said that because it's true. The purpose of the expert panels will be to set conditions for the projects that are referred to them and take into account all of the environmental factors including many of the factors the member just mentioned.Hon Rachel Brooking: Is the panel going to be able to decline the secret pet projects to be listed in Schedule 2 Part A?Hon CHRIS BISHOP: Well the member's characterisation is offensive and wrong. We are running a very clean and transparent process when it comes to the projects we listed in Schedule 2. I might contrast that with the COVID-19 fast-track legislation where David Parker—again I'd invite the member to turn to her right and talk to the Hon David Parker—was authorised by Cabinet to hand-pick 19 projects that made their way into the legislation and then got passed into law by Parliament. We are running an advisory group process chaired by Mr Tapsell who has provided advice to Ministers and we are working our way through.Hon Willow-Jean Prime: Can they decline it?Hon CHRIS BISHOP: We've already said that the expert panels will as recommended by Cabinet—again it's over to the select committee but Cabinet is recommending to the select committee that the expert panels will have the ability to decline projects referred to them.Hon Nicola Willis: Can the Minister confirm that the applications for the fast-track consenting process include tens of thousands of new homes and multiple renewable energy projects and does he share my view that when these successful projects are built then Labour will want to take the credit for the original legislation?Hon CHRIS BISHOP: Yes. Without getting into too much detail about the projects that have been applied for I can tell the House that the sum total of houses that would be developed by the fast-track proposals that currently have been applied for numbers 80000 new houses as a result of the over 100 applications for housing and urban development. Now it will be over to the Government and then ultimately over to the Parliament as to whether or not those projects take place. But I think the point that the House should bear in mind is that our planning system is so stuffed that there are over 380 applications that have come in to Government to build more renewables; develop more housing; yes build more mines and build more quarries; and build infrastructure that this country needs. That's a sign of how stuffed the Resource Management Act is and that's why we're fixing it."