At Taituarā we are committed to ensuring the very best outcomes from the reform of Aotearoa's 30-year-old Resource Management Act 1991 (RMA). Although the RMA is a key driver of much that happens in local government and our communities, it is urgently in need of a major overhaul to enable our nation to address new challenges going forward. Ways to contribute to this enormously important and wide-reaching programme of reform include joining our Resource Management Reform Reference Group (RMRG) as well as engaging through a dedicated Discussion Group.
Call for membership – the Taituarā Resource Management Reform Reference Group
Taituarā is establishing a Resource Management Reform Reference Group (RMRG) to assist its members to contribute to the reform of the resource management system. Some of our members may have recently received an email via LGConnect Discussion Groups regarding this.
The purpose of the RMRG is to help Taituarā identify and advise on issues with the package of reform proposals that have potential to impact significantly on local authorities, and in particular their ability to operationalise the three new pieces of legislation that are proposed to replace the Resource Management Act 1991: the Natural and Built Environments Act, the Spatial Planning Act, and the Climate Change Adaptation Act.
The RMRG will also help to support local government’s transition to, and implementation of, the new system.
While the RMRG will largely inform the response to the reform proposals that Taituarā provides on behalf of its members, there may be opportunities for the group to feed into central government’s policy development and transition/implementation work programmes.
Taituarā is seeking nominations for ten vacancies on the RMRG.
Membership criteria
We are seeking applications for membership of the RMRG from individuals who meet the following criteria:
- Skills, knowledge, and experience that will contribute to the purpose and objectives of the RMRG – preferably a minimum of three to four years' of relevant experience.
- Sound knowledge and understanding of the existing resource management system.
- We are also interested in receiving applications from people with experience and knowledge in spatial planning and climate change adaptation.
- An ability to take a national view on issues and opportunities, while having sound knowledge of the issues facing local authorities of the type/size of their own.
- A ‘paid-up’ full member of Taituarā. Applications from non-members will be accepted if the applicant submits an application for membership of Taituarā with their application to join the RMRG. The applicant’s employing council must also be paid up with its Taituarā SectorGoodToolkit levies.
- Willingness to spend around 10 days per year on RMRG projects, and the support of their council to do so.
We acknowledge that there is likely to be a need to draw on the specialist skills and knowledge of a wide range of local government professionals working across different disciplines, particularly in the areas of spatial planning and climate change adaptation (beyond those who become members of the RMRG). There will be opportunities for these individuals to contribute their knowledge and skills to the work of the RMRG, and to the wider Taituarā work programme.
How to apply
If you are interested in applying to be a member of the RMRG, please contact Grace Hall, Senior Advisor, Sector Improvement for more detailed information on the roles and responsibilities of the RMRG and how to apply.
Applications close at 5pm on Thursday 3 June 2021. We will announce membership of the RMRG as soon as practicable thereafter.
Wider engagement with the sector
While the RMRG will be an important mechanism through which Taituarā seeks feedback on the proposed reforms, it is not the only way in which we will engage with the sector. We will provide opportunities for the wider local government sector to feed into our responses on the various reform proposals, and will share thinking and analysis to support councils to prepare their own submissions.
Our RM Reform LGConnect Discussion Group remains a good place to share perspectives on the reform proposals and ask questions. If you are not already a member of the Discussion Group, please click here, next click RMREFORM, and then send the auto-populated email to sign up.
You’re also welcome to raise any questions, comments or concerns with us directly by contacting Grace Hall, Senior Policy Advisor, Sector Improvement.