Overhaul for laws on environment

Press, 6 May 1988, Page 2

Overhaul for laws on environment

By

OLIVER RIDDELL,

in Wellington

The Government has launched a review of the laws governing air, land, water use and mining.

It was described by the Minister for the Environment, Mr Palmer, as an extensive and important exercise, and one about which public interest needed to be generated. “This is not a hot public issue and lacks ‘sex appeal,’ as most important topics do,” he said. The review would take at least two years, with legislation introduced by the end of 1989 and passed by the 1990 General Election. “I am pretty confident that the final result will be the best-integrated set of environmental procedures in the world,” Mr Palmer said. “But I don’t mean to imply that the present procedures are bad by world standards.” The resource management law reform touches

on a range of laws relating to town and country planning, mining, and how New Zealand’s natural resources are managed.

Mr Palmer said the resources were managed under many acts. While many parts of the system worked quite well, there were complaints about other parts, and it was clear there was no coherent philosophy in the procedures. At first there would be four task groups involved in the reform process. Mr Palmer said their briefs' would be: © To analyse existing legislation, looking at legal interpretations and practical implementation. • To analyse Treaty of Waitangi issues from a legal and a Maori perspective, including Waitangi Tribunal decisions, and to examine Maori cultural and spiritual values in the resources. • To study values relat-

ing to resource management. © To look at how the public can participate in the review. Mr Palmer yesterday launched an information kit, of which more than 3000 copies will be distributed. This included the first of a series of newsletters. A toll-free direct telephone (03) 734-663, has been set up at the Ministry for the Environment for the review groups to receive submissions. The free-phone will be open from June 12 to 14 and the closing off point for written and oral submissions will be June 15. Mr Palmer said an interim report would be made to the Cabinet by the end of June.