EDS submissions highlight serious concerns over Government’s resource management changes

The Environmental Defence Society (EDS) has filed its very extensive submissions on the Government’s review of national direction under the Resource Management Act 1991.

The proposals, which are spread across three packages of Infrastructure and Development, Primary Sector and Freshwater, present an overwhelming shift towards prioritising use and development at the expense of the natural environment.

EDS’s key concerns with the proposals are:

1. Forestry review too narrow: The proposed changes fail to address systemic issues with forestry regulations which are resulting in extensive and damaging slash and sedimentation mobilisation events with corresponding devastating impacts on receiving environments and communities.

2. Infrastructure proposal lacks environmental considerations: The Government’s expansive vision for infrastructure and development comes with no corresponding focus on protecting the natural environment.

3. Increased mining and quarrying in sensitive areas: The proposed changes will facilitate more mining and quarrying activities, directly threatening New Zealand’s indigenous biodiversity, including vulnerable wetlands and highly productive land.

4. Freshwater management at risk: The proposed changes would unwind decades of freshwater management progress, undermining hard-won legal protections in favour of short-term economic interests.

5. Natural hazards not taken seriously: A gaping hole in the proposals is any regulation to stop building in high hazards areas. If New Zealand is to get real about climate adaptation it needs to prioritise not making the situation worse in the first place.

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