Ben Farrell shares his thoughts as RMLA’s outgoing President.

Conference co-convenor Sarah Pearson reflects and reports on last week’s conference - Sound Futures.

Following a closely fought contest between co-finalists Laura McLaughan and Georgina Anderson Brooks (Anderson Lloyd), we were delighted to announce Cory Lipinski and Jemma Hollis (Holland Beckett) as this year’s winners. The announcement was made during the RMLA Annual Awards celebrations.

Results of 2025 RMLA Annual Award recipients were announced at the awards gala dinner held on Friday 12 September 2025 at the Omaka Heritage Aviation Centre. Find out more about the incredible diversity and depth of achievement in the field of resource management.

Read the Housing Minister Hon Chris Bishop’s address to The Property Conference in Queenstown.

The Parliamentary Commissioner has provided feedback to the Department of Conservation regarding their consultation on proposed content for a National Conservation Policy Statement.

This insight article focuses on compliance and enforcement changes following the enactment of the Resource Management (Consenting and Other System Changes) Amendment Act 2025. Authors: Sarah Eriksson, Associate and Adam Hopkinson, Partner at Cooney Lees Morgan.

The fast-track panel, considering the Waihi North application invited the PCE to comment on the project.

The Parliamentary Commissioner recommended that the panel pay particular attention to certain aspects of the project in its assessment, including the need for a robust and reliable assessment of both the benefits and costs (CBA) of the proposed project.

Another piece of red tape potentially curtailing the growth of the aquaculture industry has been cut with the passing of a bill that protects marine farmers from costly consent reviews.

The Commissioner has made a submission on the Local Government (System Improvements) Amendment Bill. He expresses concern that the proposed list of ‘core services’ for local authorities is too restrictive.

The Environmental Defence Society (EDS) has released its third and final report in a multi-year project examining the Government’s ‘phase 3’ resource management reforms: Replacing the Resource Management Act – Risks and Solutions.

Serve Social: Play. Connect. Repeat.

Our mid-year Serve Social event was all about good vibes, shared laughter, and a bit of healthy competition — from ping pong battles to cornhole showdowns. Guests stayed well past the official close to keep the fun (and games) going. It was a fantastic reminder of the strength of our professional community when we step out from behind our desks.