Headline: Time for Minister to recognise reality and dump RMA changes
The Environment Minister should be standing up for the environment, not weakening our law.
The Green Party is today calling on Environment Minister Amy Adams to dump her attack on New Zealand’s environmental law.
In an open letter being sent to the Minister today, 5,608 people joined with the Green Party in calling on the Minister to drop her changes to sections 6 and 7 of the Resource Management Act.
“New Zealanders want to protect our environment. They don’t want weaker laws which reduce those protections and their chance to have a say,” Green Party environment spokesperson Eugenie Sage said.
“United Future, the Maori Party and New Zealand First have all indicated that they do not support the Minister’s proposed changes to the core principles in section 6 and 7 of the RMA. These would twist the law against the environment and in favour of high impact development, such as mining and large scale irrigation.
“The Government doesn’t have the numbers to get these changes through Parliament. The Minister is in denial if she thinks otherwise. She needs to dump her attack on our environmental law.
“The Minister’s proposal is a direct hit on the environmental principles at the heart of the RMA and the rules that affect the areas New Zealanders live, work and play in.
“The Environment Minister should be standing up for the environment, not weakening our law.
“Our environment needs stronger protection, so that our neighbourhoods and the places and landscapes we love retain their amenity values and character,” said Ms Sage.
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