RMA Replacement Criticised for Prioritising Economic Growth Over Environment

The New Zealand Government's replacement of the Resource Management Act (RMA) has been met with criticism from environmental groups, particularly Forest & Bird. The organisation argues that the new laws will prioritize economic development over nature, leading to uncertainty for councils, communities, and developers alike.

According to Forest & Bird's Acting General Counsel, May Downing, 'the new laws represent an extreme race to the bottom and will cause untold environmental damage and harm across communities.'

The reforms aim to speed up economic growth and create jobs, but instead, they are likely to weigh heavily on New Zealand's economy and environment. They will create years of legal disputes, uncertainty, and future political battles, introducing ambiguity around just how much environmental damage is acceptable.

Forest & Bird emphasizes that durable resource management laws need broad public support and stability across governments, as these rules shape towns, landscapes, rivers, and coastlines for decades. The organisation notes concerns raised by Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment Simon Upton, who warned that the reforms leave too much discretion to ministers and risk future 'flip-flopping' between governments.