Letter to Environment Committee regarding extension to submissions on NBE and SP bills

^{Kathrin & Stefan Marks, Flickr}

The Commissioner has written to the Environment Committee requesting an extension to the end of February to provide a properly considered submission on the Natural and Built Environment and Spatial Planning bills.

He also strongly advises the committee to make such an extension more generally available. While the end of January technically represents a twelve-week period for submissions, the reality is that the traditional New Zealand summer holiday period reduces this to about nine weeks. This is simply not enough time to consider and comment sensibly on legislation of this magnitude, complexity and importance.

The submissions will be on a combined total of 856 pages of complex and far-reaching legislation. Some things, particularly environmental limits, have changed significantly since the exposure draft so there is a need for scrutiny with fresh eyes.

Planning and resource management legislation has a significant impact on people and communities and their legitimate rights and interests, including their democratic rights. The far-reaching changes proposed in the twin bills (to be joined in due course by a third) will affect people’s everyday lives more profoundly than most legislation Parliament is asked to consider.