Natural resources and environment

By Michelle Sands : HortNZ environment manager

Natural and Built Environments Act

The Natural and Built Environments Act (NBA) is part of the government’s reform to replace the Resource Management Act (RMA) with three new Acts: • National and Built Environments Act – the primary replacement for the RMA. • Strategic Planning Act – coordination and integration through long-term spatial strategies. High-level and strategic. • Climate Adaptation Act – to address issues associated with managed retreat. The NBA is being delivered in a two-stage select committee process: • A Select Committee inquiry into an exposure draft of the NBA is the first, and current, stage. The Select

Committee is seeking comments on the exposure draft. • The second stage will be a standard legislative process (including the opportunity to submit) for the full Bill, along with the Strategic Planning Bill and Climate

Adaptation Bill. Indications are that this process will begin in early 2022. • The Bill is expected to be passed into law by the end of 2022.

The Parliamentary Paper explains the government’s reform objectives. They are to better protect the natural environment, better enable development within biophysical limits, give effect to the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi, better prepare for climate change risks and natural hazard risks, and improve system efficacy and efficiency. Horticulture New Zealand is developing a draft submission and consulting with growers. Key issues for the HortNZ submission include: • The Bill has an emphasis on providing for more housing and infrastructure. We think the Act will result in more pressure on food production within growing areas close to urban centres. We are seeking that food, along with housing and water, is recognised in the Act as essential to human health. • We support the recognition of highly productive land, and seek policy to enable its use for food production, as well as its protection from inappropriate subdivision. • We support the emphasis on climate change adaptation and mitigation, and seek that legislation provides support and direction to encourage land use diversification. Submissions on the draft Bill close 4 August 2021.

Freshwater Farm Plan Regulation

The government is introducing mandatory and enforceable freshwater modules of farm plans. The new regulations will set out requirements for freshwater farm plans, and timeframes for when these plans are required to be implemented. It is likely that the freshwater farm plan modules will need to include: • A farm map identifying features such as waterways, high erosion-prone and discharge areas, and other risks to the health of water. • A risk assessment across specific activities – including irrigation and application of nutrients. • A schedule of actions to manage identified features and address identified risks.

The government has released a discussion document. HortNZ will consult with growers and develop a submission. Key issues that HortNZ’s submission will likely include are that freshwater farm plans are aligned with existing GAP (Good Agricultural Practice) schemes and provide a streamlined approach for growers to track and demonstrate the good work they are doing to manage environmental effects. We are advocating for a system where the cost to growers is lower, and there is more certainty for growers about what they need to do, as well as more certainty for the community about the rate of improvement in water quality that can be expected. Submissions on the Freshwater Farm Plan regulation discussion document close on 12 September 2021.