National vows to repeal Three Waters, 'RMA 2.0' legislation

"Gone by Christmas."

That's how National Party MP Chris Bishop describes his party's plan to deal with Labour's Resource Management Act (RMA) replacement bills, which are being passed under urgency in Parliament today.

It's not the only legislation passed in the House today National has vowed to repeal.

Bishop, the party's RMA reform and urban development spokesman, said the Labour Government had spent six years working on RMA reform but had "managed to design a complex new regime" that would "make it even harder to get things done".

The Natural and Built Environments Act passed this afternoon and the Spatial Planning bill was still under debate at 4.40pm, but it also expected to pass as a Government bill under a majority government.

He said it would make New Zealand's planning framework "worse than the mess it is now" by increasing bureaucracy, removing local decision-making and putting decarbonisation goals at risk.

"It will stymie the investment and sustainable development of the environment that New Zealand needs, including in renewable electricity generation," Bishop said.

"The new bills will also significantly increase legal complexity and litigation. New Zealand simply cannot afford the extensive litigation that the bills will inevitably produce.

“We can all agree the RMA needs fixing, but the new framework must actually improve things and be worth the considerable cost of change. What the Government has come up with is not the solution."

He said many submitters on the bills told the Government to "slow down and start again" but the Government had "ignored them".

Bishop said the bills would be "gone by Christmas" under a National-led government.

"It is important that the acts are wiped from the statute books as soon as possible so the army of officials currently working on the transition to the new regime can down tools.

"National will campaign on our own changes to the RMA, some of which we have already announced, including one-year consenting for major infrastructure and renewable energy projects, alongside our Going for Housing Growth plan. If elected, we will legislate for these in our first term.

"We will also begin work on a longer-term programme to repeal and replace the RMA."

National's local government spokesman Simon Watts also had Labour legislation for the chopping board, should his party lead the next Government.

Labour's Three Waters backdown bill has now been rammed through Parliament under urgency after a truncated and undemocratic process, but its days are numbered, and within 100 days of a National government - it's gone, National’s spokesperson for Local Government Simon Watts says.

“Labour’s unpopular Three Waters Bill has been a disaster from start to finish. Over 86,000 people voiced their opposition to the first bill – and then Labour was caught out trying to entrench part of the bill.

"Three Waters is broken and unworkable, and as the first part of National's Three Waters Plan, we'll repeal it in our first 100 days in office.

"Unlike Labour's broken reforms, National has a plan, so Kiwis don't have to worry about sewage on their streets, un-swimmable beaches, or having to boil their drinking water.

“Under National, water stays in local hands and investment in water infrastructure is secured so that New Zealanders can be sure their water is safe and affordable.”

Environment Minister David Parker told reporters the party's plan to repeal the RMA changes should they form the next government is "political opportunism".

"Now that’s up to the people of New Zealand as to whether they think they want to vote for a party who – having railed against the RMA, kicked it to death for decades – and now, for political opportunism, say that they’re going to repeal these new changes and actually bring back the RMA with all its faults," he said.

He said the party’s claims the reforms would further complicate the RMA process is "obviously untrue".

"At the moment, there are over 100 RMA plans that’s chunked down to 16 better plans. It will be structured in a similar way, therefore are easier to follow, are made faster and result in more permitted activities, lower land prices, lower consenting costs and better environmental outcomes."