Resource Management System: Amending the Resource Management Act

The Government is proposing several specific changes to the RMA through the Resource Management Amendment Bill (the Bill).

About the Bill

The Bill includes a new freshwater planning process which will support implementation of the upcoming National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management 2020. 

The Bill also addresses issues with:

• resource consenting
• enforcement
• Environment Court provisions within the RMA. 

The Bill is available on the Legislation website. 

Public submissions will be called for when the Bill is referred to a select committee. Submissions can be made via the Parliament website.  

Information about the policy proposals in the Bill  

Cabinet materials

• Cabinet paper 1 – Proposed Resource Management Amendment Bill: Stage 1 of a resource management system review
  • Appendix to the Cabinet paper: Proposed bill to amend the RMA – further policy detail on proposals (on Cabinet paper web page)
• Cabinet paper 2: Proposed Resource Management Amendment Bill: A specialised planning process for freshwater, and other outstanding policy decisions
  • Appendix 1 - Diagram of the differences between the standard planning process and the proposed freshwater planning process
• Cabinet paper 3 - Resource Management Amendment Bill - Approval for introduction

Briefing notes

See briefing notes

Regulatory impact analysis documents

• Impact Summary: Proposed bill to amend the Resource Management Act 1991 (version 1)
• Updated Impact Summary: Proposed bill to amend the Resource Management Act 1991 (version 2)
• Impact Statement: A new planning process for freshwater
• Impact Summary: Additional proposals for proposed bill to amend the Resource Management Act 1991

Department disclosure statement

Departmental disclosure statement: Resource Management Amendment Bill [PDF, 178 KB]