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Attachment 1 - Initiatives for improving practice and building capacity

Initiative A - Commissioner and councillor training to support mandatory accreditation of consent hearings bodies

Associated with the requirement for mandatory accreditation of consent hearings bodies a programme will be established by the Ministry for the Environment for appropriate accreditation. The Ministry for the Environment has done preparation work on a voluntary accreditation scheme stemming from the recommendations of the Ministerial Panel on Business Compliance Costs. This voluntary scheme will need to be reviewed in light of the legislative changes proposed. Specific consideration will be required of the new inquisitorial powers.

Initiative B - Stronger leadership role for the Ministry for the Environment in implementing the RMA

Ministers have indicated that government needs to take a more hands-on approach to overseeing the implementation of the RMA (as it has done with the Building Act). This approach would build on the Ministry for the Environment's role in monitoring the effect and implementation of the RMA. The government is often on the back foot when faced with concerns about the RMA. Enhancing the Ministry for the Environment's capacity to take a stronger leadership and partnership role would provide the ability for it to make the RMA work.

Enhanced capacity would allow the Ministry for the Environment to improve implementation by:

  • taking a leadership role in responding to concerns about the RMA and pro-actively addressing issues (eg. Transpower concerns, foreign investments, negative media representation)
  • working more collaboratively and partnering with local authorities, professional institutes and other resource management participants to address concerns and encourage improved performance
  • being more informed about how the RMA is achieving its purpose, and the need for additional best practice guidance and potential changes,
  • celebrating good performance through a new award scheme, or current linkages with the Performance Excellence Study Award

Initiative C - Targeted one-on-one local authority assistance

The targeted one-on-one local authority assistance scheme is a partnership approach between individual local authorities and Ministry for the Environment. The scheme assists local authorities to improve their processes and practices. The initial two pilots of this scheme carried out over the last year involved a management consultant and an experienced planner assessing the local authority's resource consent processes, and reporting on potential solutions. This scheme could be extended in the future to include a contestable fund providing assistance to under-resourced local authorities, assisting local authorities to achieve national objectives (such as improving drinking water quality), and to support innovative ideas.

Initiative D - National guidance

National guidance (in addition to NPS and NES) is currently being provided through the Quality Planning website and Ministry for the Environment publications. Current guidance covers the processes for plan-making, consent processing, and monitoring and reporting. Further guidance on plan policy development, such as how to address infrastructure development or residential growth within a district plan, would assist in achieving greater certainty and consistency. Additional guidance could also extend to looking at innovative ways to improve access to information for all RMA participants, such as a web-based portal.

Providing guidance and support to resource management participants (through the Quality Planning website, workshops and training) would assist with the successful implementation of any legislative amendments arising from this review, as well as the aquaculture reform and foreshore and seabed legislation.

Initiative E - RMA user education and awareness

An effective RMA education and awareness programme aimed at the general public, business and other stakeholder groups would assist in both demystifying and addressing some of the negativity about the RMA. This initiative would expand the already successful Ministry for the Environment funded RMA Education and Advisory Services work. This fund has supported the development and operation of several community centres and websites who deliver public information on the RMA. In particular, the Ministry for the Environment will pro-actively look at partnering business to provide advice and support to businesses and investors in the economy who may be facing compliance costs - thus improving their passage through RMA processes.

Initiative F - Guidance on iwi engagement and iwi capacity building

There is a need to provide guidance around the engagement of iwi in resource management processes and build iwi capacity for involvement, especially with the changes proposed as part of this review combined with those coming out of the aquaculture reforms and the foreshore and seabed legislation. Guidance on iwi and the resource consent process has already been developed through the Business Cost Compliance Programme (aimed at applicants, local authorities and iwi). This has yet to be rolled out, and could be expanded to include other plan processes. New guidance could be developed for iwi on preparing robust planning documents and consultation processes, including charging.

As part of the development of the foreshore and seabed legislation a group was tasked with looking at improving the effectiveness of local authority/Māori activities under existing legislation. The aim was to develop practical initiatives that improve practice, participation and relationships. The foreshore and seabed legislative work complements the changes that have emerged out of this review of the RMA.

 

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Last updated: 6 May 2008