The call made this week by the Parliamentary Commissioner
for the Environment for further scrutiny of the RMA
replacement laws deserves to be taken seriously says Tuia
Pito Ora New Zealand Institute of Landscape Architects Tuia
Pito Ora (NZILA).
“The extent of Commissioner Simon
Upton’s wide-ranging concerns – as circulated to all
Members of Parliament in a 14-page document this week –
are too far-reaching and fundamental for further scrutiny
not to be given to both bills before and during their second
reading,” says Ralph Johns, NZILA President.
“The
question now becomes whether the remaining sitting days at
Parliament (less than 20) will allow sufficient time for
that scrutiny, which is also dependent on a public release
of an illustrative draft of the new National Policy
Direction as promised on Monday.
“The Minister
responsible for RMA Reforms, Chris Bishop, has assured all
New Zealanders that more detail on the reforms is on its
way. Until that detail is released, it remains difficult for
stakeholders and communities to fully understand how the
reforms will operate in practice”.
Peter Kensington,
of NZILA’s Environmental Legislation Working Group,
commended the Commissioner for going into bat on the
importance of ensuring this once-in-a-generation legislation
unites New Zealanders rather than dividing
them.
“The Commissioner has highlighted the
importance of having regard to the role that landscape
factors play in achieving a balance between economy and
environment and as a guardrail. He has been a true champion
for many of the changes we have advocated for that are vital
to delivering the quality landscape-based outcomes that New
Zealanders, and visitors to our country, have come to
expect. We thank him for that”.
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Ralph Johns: “One
of the lessons our profession has taken from the process of
these reforms is a challenge to work even harder to make the
impacts of development on people’s experience of healthy
and well-functioning spaces and places better understood and
as positive as possible. This includes mindfulness of work
that is done mitigating hazard risks and in the provision of
green infrastructure. We should not, and will not, lose the
aspiration of protecting the long-term quality of our built,
productive and natural environments – be that at a broad
regional or catchment or city scale, or at a detailed
neighbourhood or site scale”.
About Tuia
Pito Ora New Zealand Institute of Landscape Architects
(NZILA):
Tuia Pito Ora New Zealand
Institute of Landscape Architects (NZILA) is the
internationally recognised professional body representing
qualified landscape architects across Aotearoa New Zealand.
As a collective of professionals, the Institute works to
promote landscapes that are environmentally resilient,
culturally meaningful and designed to benefit all New
Zealanders. Through leadership, advocacy and professional
standards, NZILA supports the sustainable planning, design,
protection and management of the places where people live,
work and
connect.
