High transaction costs on the public's everyday resource use have been highlighted as the key to the Government's latest proposals to the Resource Management Act and freshwater reforms.

In two separate meetings in the Bay of Plenty this week, residents sat down with North Shore MP Maggie Barry to discuss the Government's plans after announcing proposals aimed at strengthening the Resource Management Act (RMA), improving water quality and the way freshwater is managed.

The Resource Management Act (RMA), improving water quality and freshwater managementwere all topics of discussion this week. File photo.

Maggie, standing in for Environment Minister Amy Adams, attended the public meeting at Classic Flyers in Mount Maunganui and the hui at Maungatapu Marae as part of the nationwide series of meetings to discuss the proposed changes to the resource management system with councils, iwi, environment groups, businesses and the public.

Ngai Te Rangi chairman Charlie Tawhiao, who co-chaired the hui, says the outcome of the meeting was very predictable.

Charlie says an 'informed audience” of about 50 practitioners attended the hui and the proposals were presented as an opportunity for everyone to talk about what has been outlined and what can be done better.

At the meeting the main issue raised and identified by the Government was the unnecessarily high transaction costs on ordinary everyday use implicated by the Resource Management Act.

Proposed changes to the RMA will make the system easier to use, increase certainty and predictability, attract investment, reduce unnecessary duplication and cost, while continuing to protect the environment.

The freshwater proposals outline a plan of action for the most comprehensive and positive reform of New Zealand's freshwater management system for a generation and are consistent with and based on the Land and Water Forum's recommended approach giving effect to their core recommendations.

Charlie admits the hui helped gain some clarity from the Government and he does not think they are looking to pass a reform without public consultation.

'I don't think Government is looking to sneak something through here, but I think we all need to really consider whether or not we are endangered of throwing the baby out of the bath here.

'This is a decision that we ourselves will sit down and discuss how we will respond to the Government's proposals.”

Green Party spokesperson Ian Maclean, who attended this week's public meeting, is however sceptical the Government's verbal actions will eventuate to anything.

'On water quality, if they do what they say, then this would be a good initiative that could actually improve water quality nationally. But I suspect the whole thing will ultimately be turned into a wet paper bag, as previously with the National Policy Statement (NPS) on water quality.”

Ian agrees better water quality monitoring is needed throughout the country, but will ultimately end up with an apparent ratepayer cost as central Government puts a new responsibility on regional councils.

He says the RMA revision is happening too fast and goes too deep, devaluing the environmental values against the benefit of short-term gain in the process.

'Two issues that cause so much angst with the RMA are not being addressed and the absence of effective monitoring of consent conditions across the country is simply being ignored.

'The aims of streamlining process and reducing costs are laudable, but the reduction in time frames will inevitably result in compromise, and the environment will lose.”