For the promotion of best practice in the implementation of environmental policy and law

Established in 1992, the Association for Resource Management Practitioners, Te Kahui Ture Taiao, (RMLA) is New Zealand’s leading forum for the interpretation and implementation of the ground breaking 1991 Resource Management Act.  A thriving organisation with over 900 members, RMLA brings together lawyers, barristers, judges, planners, environmental managers, environmental engineers, environment commissioners, consultants and civil servants, keeping them abreast of latest developments in environment and resource management-related policy, law and practice, through news, debate, commentary and collaboration. The Association benchmarks itself against high quality environmental outcomes resulting from a robust application of the Resource Management Act.

A packed annual agenda of national and regional seminars, competitions, networking events, road shows and an unrivalled annual conference provides RMLA members with a unique platform for debate and collaboration, as well as access to the leading RMA practitioners who are shaping New Zealand’s future.

RMLA also produces a range of publications, including its highly respected Resource Management Journal, published tri-annually.

True to its ethos of information sharing and promoting best practice, the RMLA also provides annual scholarships to promote current and relevant research. For more established practitioners, the annual RMLA awards celebrate outstanding individuals and environmental results arising from application of best practice in resource management.

The National Committee is responsible for identifying and determining themes to be examined and addressed in RMLA publications, road shows, regional seminars, scholarship funded research and at the annual conference while maintaining flexibility to respond to unexpected or dynamic issues that may arise or take advantage of speaker/presenter availability.

Themes determined by the National Committee are topical, relevant and anticipate emerging issues:
– linked to existing or impending Central Government policy initiatives, including legislative reform and national planning or policy instruments.
– linked to existing or anticipated resource management issues facing the New Zealand economy, society or environment.
– linked to regional resource management issues that have broader national significance or consequences.
– capable of supporting a number of topics of relevance to the theme and the interests of the diverse RMLA membership.

RMLA publications, road shows, regional seminars and the annual conference may address topics that are not directly related to any identified theme.

The annual programme of road shows, regional seminars and conference workshop sessions should include skills based assistance or training to members in relevant areas of legal, planning or technical expertise.

The National Committee is responsible for co-ordinating and lodging submissions on behalf of the RMLA on resource management law and national planning documents, where appropriate and relevant to the Association’s objectives.

RMLA’s National Committee is elected by its membership every year. The National Committee is guided by a set of policies to ensure:

– that the National Committee be responsible for identifying and determining themes to be examined and addressed in RMLA publications, road shows, regional seminars, scholarship funded research and at the annual conference.

– that the themes determined by the National Committee be topical, relevant and anticipate emerging issues:

• linked to existing or impending Central Government policy initiatives, including legislative reform and national planning or policy instruments.

• linked to existing or anticipated resource management issues facing the New Zealand economy, society or environment.

• linked to regional resource management issues that have broader national significance or consequences.

• capable of supporting a number of topics of relevance to the theme and the interests of the diverse RMLA membership.

– to secure pre-eminent New Zealand and/or international experts to address topics relevant to identified themes at the annual conference and where possible as part of the road show or regional seminar programmes.

– that scope be retained within RMLA publications, road shows, regional seminars and at the annual conference for topics to be addressed that are not directly related to any identified theme, so as to maintain flexibility to respond to more immediate issues arising during any given period, or as opportunities to retain pre-eminent speakers on topics relevant to members (for example, as engaged by other entities) arise.

– that the annual programme of road shows, regional seminars and conference workshop sessions include skills based assistance or training to members in relevant areas of legal, planning or technical expertise.

– that the National Committee be responsible for co-ordinating and lodging submissions on behalf of the RMLA on resource management law and national planning documents, where appropriate and relevant to the Association’s objectives.

A taskforce will be commissioned by the National Committee in February of any calendar year, comprising representatives from the National Committee and Regional committees to identify themes (applying the policies outlined above) and topics that may be addressed as related to the themes. The taskforce should include representation from the editorial committee, the executive, the conference portfolio holder, the legislation committee, and any Ministry for the Environment member of the National Committee.

By 31 August of any calendar year, the National Committee will have determined the themes to be addressed during the subsequent years publications, road show, regional seminars and at the subsequent conference (ie for example by 31 August 2023, identify themes to be addressed during the calendar year of 2024).

The taskforce should then research international conference programmes, relevant publications, attend conferences, and liaise with related associations and educational institutions to identify pre-eminent New Zealand and international speakers and writers on topics relevant to the themes, including speakers and writers with potentially opposing or divergent views on those topics.

Leading practitioners within disciplines of relevance to the wider membership will be approached and retained to prevent skills based seminars as part of the road shows, regional seminars and conference workshop programme.

The Legislation Committee will keep up to date with any proposed (including amendments to) policy, legislation and significant resource management documents, and co-ordinate and lodge submissions in accordance with the RMLA Process Guidelines for Submissions on Legislation / Planning Instruments.

The Resource Management Law Association is committed to the basic precepts of good governance including: having clarity of roles and responsibilities, a focus on strategic objectives and prudential risk management, appropriate financial management and disciplined accountability and transparency to members and stakeholders. View our Constitutional Rules for details.

The affairs of the Association are administered by the National Committee. The National Committee consists of ten members elected from and by the members of the Association at each Annual General Meeting and has a regional representation from around the motu. The National Committee meet approximately every six weeks, alternating in person and online. View National Committee

At its first meeting after the Annual General Meeting, the National Committee elects a President, Secretary and Treasurer of the Association who hold office until the conclusion of the next Annual General Meeting.