Get Real With Urgency

Parliament sat under urgency this week, not that the public would have noticed.  The legislation passed included such important items as the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra Bill and the Telecommunications (Interception Capability) Bill.  Important, I am sure, but hardly "urgent".

If the Government were serious about urgency it would have taken urgent measures to fix up the nightmare that is the Resource Management Act.  Needless to say, it was nowhere to be seen on this week's Order Paper.

Last week, Meridian Energy announced that the much-heralded Project Aqua had been cancelled. 

Project Aqua was set to be the largest hydroelectric development this country has seen in over 30 years, and at $1.2 billion dollars was by far the largest project considered under the Resource Management Act.

The RMA, made even more bureaucratic and politically correct by this Government, is a huge burden for New Zealand.  The Government clearly realised this but instead of changing the legislation they passed Project Aqua-specific legislation to get around it.

The implications of Project Aqua are huge and will have ramifications for centuries on our fourth largest river and the surrounding region.

For a project of this magnitude, it is imperative that decision-making processes are thorough, considered and come without shortcuts.  Yet the Project Aqua legislation fast tracks the process.

It is wrong that the Government can tell farmers and business people that they must comply with every hurdle in the draconian Resource Management Act, however small their project, when it can just adjust the rules to suit itself as and when it chooses.

The collapse of Project Aqua sent the Government into a tailspin as they were forced to juggle the serious ramifications for our flailing energy supply with the failure of the Resource Management Act.  Their answer was a review of the RMA, headed up by new Minister David Benson-Pope.

Pete Hodgson was Opposition Spokesman for Energy for 10 years before becoming Minister - what did he do during that time?  Where is the leadership?  Where is the blueprint?

Hodgson is like a broken record espousing the values of energy saving.  There's only so much energy that can be saved and it��s far from a long-term solution.  We have narrowly escaped blackouts for the past three years; leaving the nation at the mercy of the weather gods is not good enough.

We shouldn��t hold our breath for an instant solution to our growing energy problems, nor should we expect much from the RMA review.  As soon as the heat is off, Labour will retreat to making cosmetic changes.

National has made its position on changes to the RMA very clear - urgent changes are necessary to reduce delays, reduce complexity, improve the processes and strengthen property rights. Examples are allowing direct referrals to the environment court and remove vexatious and frivolous objections, consolidate district and regional plans when they are due for review to remove ��aspirational�� content.

Now that calls for urgency.

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What's on locally?

Celebrate the taste and vibrancy of Auckland's 'Festival of India' tomorrow, Saturday 3^rd of April, Aotea Square, Queen Street, from 10am-4pm

"I like trucks" and this Sunday 4^th of April at Motat 150 big rigs from around the country will be on display. Funds raised from the event will go towards the Muscular Dystrophy Association of New Zealand. Organised by Motat, Kiwanis and National Road Carriers the event runs from 10am to 5pm at Motat, Motions Road, Western Springs.

Entry charges apply.

Also, don't forget the range of Easter Weekend attractions on offer.

• �PThe Royal Easter Show runs from the 7^th- 12^th of April at the Auckland Showgrounds, Greenlane West, Greenlane
• �PCelebrated jazz musician and Waiheke resident Dave Paquette presents the ever popular Montana International Jazz n' Blues Fest 04 from the 8^th - 12^th April on Waiheke Island. Phone 372 5301 for venue and ticket details.