Kaye Nikki: Resource Management (Simplifying and Streamlining) Amendment Bill — Procedure Second Reading In Committee Third Reading 
Kaye Nikki: Resource Management (Simplifying and Streamlining) Amendment Bill — Procedure Second Reading In Committee Third Reading 
[Volume:657;Page:6249] 
NIKKI KAYE (National—Auckland Central) 
: 
 Tonight we are debating legislation that is focused on protecting the beautiful country that is New Zealand. It is good that there is cross-party support for the Resource Management (Simplifying and Streamlining) Amendment Bill. The Local Government and Environment Committee heard from 339 oral submitters which took up 69 hours of our time in these hearings. The select committee process was very robust. During those hearings we heard the sometimes horrific stories of average Kiwis just trying to get basic consents. This legislation is dedicated to those Kiwis. 
Officials have spent hours of hard work assisting our committee to improve this legislation. I want to thank the efforts of public servants and all of the submitters for their efforts to do that. I acknowledge my National colleagues on the Local Government and Environment Committee—the effervescent chair Chris Auchinvole Louise Upston Cam Calder Nicky Wagner—and of course I acknowledge the Minister for the Environment for bringing this legislation to the House. I acknowledge the individuals businesses and community groups that are listening tonight. There are community groups that have spent time and money on resource consents that could have spent that money on educating kids or spent their time on community projects like the farmers market in Grey Lynn. 
The purpose of this bill is to begin to redress the balance of environmental protection and economic growth. It is a delicate balance and at times it can be tough but for too long this legislation has imposed unnecessary costs on businesses and communities. I am confident that these Resource Management Act reforms will reduce the time for processing consents and will reduce paperwork. The costs uncertainties and delays of the current Resource Management Act are costing New Zealanders jobs at a time when people most need them. 
The current Resource Management Act has been holding up valuable infrastructure in areas like Auckland. This bill will go some way to fix that. It will ensure that projects of national significance will be processed in a timely manner so that New Zealanders and the country can benefit from them. Other than in relation to processing applications proposals of national significance the role and functions of the Environmental Protection Authority are not defined in this bill but they will be expanded upon in the next phase of the Resource Management Act reforms. 
There have been some very important changes to this bill as part of the select committee process and I think it is time that we acknowledge them. There has been a strengthening of the provisions to ensure the timing and efficient processing of resource consents. The bill now limits rather than removes further rounds of submissions on plan changes to ensure property rights are recognised and it strengthens the process for national consenting and national environmental standards. The select committee also chose not to proceed with the removal of the non-complying activity class as we believe that the transitional costs exceeded the benefits. 
I think it is important to take a moment to acknowledge the Environmental Protection Authority. The establishment of this entity will be very important for New Zealand. I look forward to phase two of the reform when the full powers and functions of the Environmental Protection Authority will be considered. Many speakers this evening have acknowledged the delicate balance between public involvement and ensuring that progress can be made in terms of consents. I think this bill strikes a good balance in that respect. 
There has been robust debate this evening about trees. I believe it is reasonable for individuals to prune and trim their trees without a resource consent. As of 1 October Aucklanders and New Zealanders will be able to do that. It is good that that provision is supported by most of this Parliament. I am pleased that the Minister for the Environment is writing to all local councils and asking them to report back to him to ensure they protect high-value trees for our scheduling. The Minister has also confirmed that he will assess whether they are undertaking adequate scheduling. He has said that he will make a direction under section 25A of the Resource Management Act if they are not doing that. This is a positive step to give Aucklanders confidence in scheduling. I believe that this will help ensure historic trees and others with special value are protected. 
Some of my constituents have raised concerns and I have had the opportunity to raise them through this legislation but I am very glad that the Minister has shown an ability and a desire to want to protect trees in Auckland as well. There has been a lot of scaremongering this evening regarding trees but these provisions regarding the removal of trees do not come into force until January 2012. That gives Auckland local authorities adequate time to ensure that they have good scheduling in place. The changes in Auckland local governance also have the potential in the long term to make scheduling easier as there could be one system of scheduling across Auckland. I have worked constructively on this issue with the Minister and the local community to allay those concerns and I thank the Minister for taking that step. I look forward to working with him on this issue and on other issues in the future. 
Phase one was about simplifying and streamlining the Resource Management Act. However as the Minister has outlined further reforms are needed to improve the economic and environmental outcomes of the Resource Management Act. The Minister has identified 10 related work streams. The first four work streams involve greater central government direction to improve the management of aquaculture infrastructure urban design and water. I look forward to being involved with the Minister in those reforms. Our natural environment is a core part of who we are as Kiwis. It is a privilege to be in this House to support this legislation this evening. We are gifted as a country but we must continue to be active to protect our natural heritage—our parks our beaches our rivers our lakes our mountains and even our trees. Thank you.