Environment & Planning

The Resource Management (National Environmental Standards for Freshwater) Regulations 2020 (“the NES:F”) came into effect on 3 September 2020 as part of the Government’s wider “Action for Healthy Waterways” package (which also includes the new Freshwater Planning Process contained in the Resource Management Amendment Act 2020, the National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management and Stock …

Fresh National Directions: The National Environmental Standards for Freshwater 2020 Read More »

The COVID-19 Recovery (Fast-Track Consenting) Bill was introduced on 16 June 2020 in the Government’s attempt to mitigate the effects of COVID-19. The Bill aims to bypass the Resource Management Act 1991 in order to speed up the consenting process for projects. Parliament’s last sitting day is 6 August in preparation for the 19 September …

COVID-19 Recovery (Fast-Track Consenting) Bill Read More »

Although a Bill is yet to be introduced, the 12 May 2020 Cabinet paper released on the proposed COVID-19 Recovery (Fast-track Consenting) Bill throws more light on what the fast-track consenting process will look like. Central and local government projects look to be the major beneficiary of the proposal, with other projects needing to be …

Fast-track Consenting: who benefits? Read More »

Protected areas around Motiti Island as set out in the Environment Court’s interim decision, Motiti Rohe Moana Trust v Bay of Plenty Regional Council [2018] NZEnvC 067 On 4 November 2019 the Court of Appeal concluded in a controversial decision that regional councils can use the Resource Management Act 1991 (RMA) to control fishing in …

Untangling the Net: Marine Spatial Planning under the RMA Read More »

The Court of Appeal has dismissed the Canterbury Regional Council’s (the Council) appeal of the High Court’s decision on how to find the “bed” of a river under the Resource Management Act 1991 (RMA). The litigation arose because of the prosecution of Dewhirst and Dewhirst Land Company Ltd for works undertaken in the Selwyn River …

Dewhirst update: the bed of a river begins with its banks, not its fullest flow Read More »

Photo from:  Ministry for the Environment. 2019. Action for healthy waterways – A discussion document on national direction for our essential freshwater. On 5 September 2019 the Government released the long-awaited package of freshwater reforms. The Action for Healthy Waterways package seeks to stop the degradation of New Zealand waterways and restore them to a …

Action for Healthy Waterways: Proposed National Environmental Standards for Freshwater Read More »