The Government is cracking on with changing the Resource Management Act and removing barriers to aquaculture developments.

The RMA reform bill is being prepared for introduction in February 2009. The technical advisory group that will be working on the changes was announced by Environment Minister Nick Smith on December 16.
'The functions of the group are to provide independent perspectives, analysis of reform proposals, act as a sounding board for any recommendations being made and report to me,” says Dr Smith.

Who's in the group
The advisory group is chaired by Alan Dormer, and includes Guy Salmon, Penny Webster, Paul Majuery, Dennis Bush-King, Michael Holm, Michael Forster and Wyatt Creech.
Former Act MP Penny Webster has a dairy farming background and is a former president of Auckland Federated Farmers. Wyatt Creech is currently on the board of directors of Open Country Cheese Company and is chairman of the board of Kaimai Cheese Company Ltd. The rest are barristers and planners.
Dennis Bush-King was the Ministry for the Environment manager responsible the original resource management law reform that led to the RMA in 1991.

Terms of reference
The TAG terms of reference include advising on ways to streamline and simplify processes, reduce costs and delays, speed up plan making processes and provide priority consenting for major projects.
The TAG is also to identify other RMA reforms that require longer term consideration as part of a second phase of RMA reform.
Rules governing aquaculture are to be overhauled alongside the wider RMA review.
'The aquaculture industry is being held back by a regulatory regime that is not working,” says Fisheries minister Phil Heatley.
A hold was placed on new coastal space applications for aquaculture in 2001 that lasted until 2004 when a regime was introduced bringing aquaculture management under control of regional councils as part of the RMA. No new aquaculture space has been created by the 2004 regime.
'That's nearly 1500 days of no progress, which is a disgrace,” says Phil.
Embedding aquaculture in the RMA clearly was not working, says Dr Smith.
'The excessive time, cost and complexity of getting new aquaculture projects through the current RMA process is holding back aquaculture business and depriving the economy of much needed sustainable growth.”
The Aquaculture Amendment Bill (No 2) 2008 which aims to remove a number of technical barriers to aquaculture development will be passed in early 2009. Other aquaculture specific reforms will follow the RMA reforms.