Kia ora

We recognise it has been a long time since we sent an Oranga Wai | Our Freshwater Future e-newsletter. This does not mean no work has been taking place. However, we have been keeping an eye on the changing legislative landscape - especially when it comes to proposed changes to resource management laws. This e-newsletter covers how some of those changes have impacted the Oranga Wai process.

What has happened?

The Government recently passed legislation requiring most plan-making processes to be paused through to 31 December 2027. This pause, referred to as ‘Plan Stop’, is intended to avoid councils undertaking potentially costly plan changes or plan reviews that may be incomplete or incompatible with the proposed resource management system that will replace the Resource Management Act.

Horizons Regional Council's Strategy and Policy Committee was presented a paper in September about the implications of Plan Stop. You can find the report and a video of the committee meeting on the Horizons website.

At the same meeting, the committee passed resolutions to amend Horizons' work programmes to ensure compliance with Plan Stop.

What does this mean for the Oranga Wai process?

The Oranga Wai process was designed to move Horizons towards notifying a change to the One Plan - the “one-stop shop” resource management planning document for the Horizons Region. The due date for notification has changed before; the plan change was originally due to be notified by the end of 2024, but was changed to late 2026/early 2027 after changes from central government. 

The Plan Stop means the Oranga Wai plan change is now deferred until after 31 December 2027. Central government could replace the National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management 2020, which may allow (or possibly require) Horizons to notify a freshwater plan change earlier than 31 December 2027.

What happens to all the work done so far - will it be wasted?

Not at all. The input of tangata whenua, stakeholders and the wider community to the Oranga Wai process is valuable, and will remain so. It will help to inform our approach once we have more direction on what the new resource management system will look like and the Plan Stop period is complete.

What about exemptions?

The legislation behind Plan Stop does give exemption pathways. Some planning instruments may be automatically exempt where specific criteria are met (e.g. Treaty settlement obligations, natural hazards), while others may require ministerial approval.

If any exemptions are identified we will communicate them to tangata whenua, stakeholders and the community.

What work will be done in the meantime?

Plan Stop does not change Horizons' commitment to responsible environmental management across the region. While some parts of our work programmes have been paused in response to national direction and legislative uncertainty, other technical and policy work is continuing. Science will still need to be carried out to ensure we understand the state of the environment. Policy work which can be applied to upcoming reforms will continue. Council staff will keep doing necessary work to ensure Horizons is in the best possible position to proceed with plan-making processes in the future. 

Where can people learn more?

The Ministry for the Environment has published information on understanding plan stop on their website. For more information about Horizons’ work on policy changes, see our website.

If you have any questions relating to this e-newsletter or would like to discuss the matters raised further, please email oneplan@horizons.govt.nz.