Resource Management reform - a reality check for Canterbury

The next three months will test Canterbury's governance like nothing we've seen in decades. In the past month alone, central government has dropped three new bills, an amendment, multiple changes to national direction instruments, proposed rates caps, and a complete governance restructure on our desk. We're not just tweaking the system - we're in the most consequential moment for regional governance in New Zealand's history.

The Canterbury Regional Council has advocated for Resource Management reform for years and worked on constructive solutions. Now the Government has delivered - and it's landing all at once.

The Simplifying Local Government proposal would replace elected regional councillors with a board of mayors (the 'Combined Territories Board'), potentially backed by a commissioner, to develop regional combined plans - with submissions due 20 February. A rates cap limiting rises to 2-4 per cent will fundamentally constrain our fiscal tools, with targeted consultation due 4 February.

We're also facing four new bills reshaping everything: the newly passed Resource Management (Duration of Consents) Amendment Bill (now an Act), two bills replacing the RMA entirely (the Planning Bill and Natural Environment Bill, with submissions due 13 February), and the Emergency Management Bill (submissions due 3 February). Beneath all of this sit new and amended National Direction Instruments that form the technical framework.

We are methodically working through the opportunities and implications for the services we deliver and the environmental protections we uphold. This scale of change demands collaboration across councils, with mana whenua, and with our communities. Our job is to navigate these reforms with both principle and pragmatism, advocating fiercely for what serves Canterbury best while adapting intelligently to whatever emerges. Our councillors were elected by this region. We remain accountable to you. We will show courage, not compliance.

Regardless of legislative upheaval, The Regional Council’s essential work doesn't stop. Freshwater protection, flood resilience, pest management, sustainable environmental management, climate action, regional leadership - these aren't negotiable. I'm urging every Cantabrian with a stake in our region's future to write submissions on these legislative changes at bills.parliament.nz. Make your voice count.

Before we dive into the reform gauntlet, let's acknowledge what Canterbury accomplished in 2024. We delivered award-winning restoration projects, successful pest control initiatives, and extensive farm support. We secured major Government investment for flood resilience, rolled out innovative public transport improvements, and provided swift Civil Defence response in local emergencies. We completed seafloor mapping, deployed automated pest traps, and continued the attack on wilding pines. We worked closely with our communities to protect our environment and enhance our economic opportunities - and it showed.

In 2026, we'll continue that partnership with communities and stakeholders to ensure the Waitaha voice is heard clearly, and that any changes to local government strengthen, not weaken, our region's ability to thrive. This is governance at the coalface. We're ready.