Canterbury’s regional council chair has questioned whether the Government needs to slow down its pace of reform.
Speaking at an Environment Canterbury meeting last week chairperson Dr Deon Swiggs referred to a meeting he had with Department of Internal Affairs head Paul James on local government reforms.
Swiggs said James had reiterated government’s ‘‘big goal’’ was the Resource Management Act (RMA) reform, but the department would be taking advice to Cabinet next month on the reform programme.
The government announced a raft of reform proposals late last year, including a rates cap and its intention to replace elected regional councils with boards of local mayors.
‘‘The RMA reform is the absolute critical piece of the puzzle which is starting to form in the various Government agencies.
‘‘We will need to wait to see where that lands,’’ Swiggs said.
‘‘But there is a massive risk of doing too much and overwhelming the system.’’
Department of Internal Affairs local government deputy secretary Katrina Casey said advice from the department was due to go to Cabinet in May.
‘‘The government has identified resource management reform as a key priority and has an active programme of work under way to modernise the planning system.
‘‘The Department of Internal Affairs’ advice to ministers has emphasised the importance of progressing local government reforms in a way that supports and aligns with those planning reforms.’’
Swiggs was also due to meet with Transport and RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop Tuesday last week to discuss the RMA and transport issues. But the meeting had to be cancelled as events unfolded around Tuesday’s Caucus meeting, he said.
‘‘To the Honourable Chris Bishop, if you are watching, we are keen to get you in the room and discuss transport funding for Canterbury and the South Island and the RMA reforms,’’ Swiggs said during the livestreamed meeting.
Earlier this month, Swiggs called out what he considered “unfair transport funding”.
The Canterbury region has received just five percent of funding from the National Land Transport Fund in the 2024-27 and 2021-24 funding periods, despite being the second largest region in the country.
The South Island received 12 per cent in the 2024-27 funding period, even though it makes up 24 per cent of the population, produces 22 per cent of GDP and makes up 26 per cent of vehicle kilometres travelled.
‘‘No matter what way you cut it, Canterbury and the South Island are in a transport funding crisis,’’ Swiggs said.
At the time, South Island Minister James Meager said funding decisions were based on ‘‘national priorities, project readiness and value for money’’, and not ‘‘a simple regional split’’.
He noted Canterbury had received a record $1.8 billion of funding in the 2024-27 funding period.
