Central and local government responsibilities under the RMA

National policy statements and standards

The RMA enables central government, the Minister for the Environment, to prepare national policy statements and national environmental standards which can apply across the landscape from the limit of the Territorial Sea (12 nautical miles or 22.2 km) across district and regional council boundaries.

National policy statements set out requirements for councils to deal with resource management issues.

National environmental standards prescribe technical standards, methods or other requirements for environmental matters.

NZ Coastal Policy Statement

• The New Zealand Coastal Policy Statement [Department of Conservation website].

The Minister of Conservation prepares the NZ Coastal Policy Statement which applies from the limit of the Territorial Sea to the boundary of the coastal environment.

National Planning Standards

National Planning Standards can set out the requirements for the structure format or content of regional policy statements and plans.

Conservation management strategies and plans

The Department of Conservation prepares conservation management strategies and conservation management plans according to the boundary of specific lands and water areas managed by DOC.

Territorial authority (city and district council) responsibilities

District and city councils are generally responsible for making decisions about:

• the effects of land use
• the effects of activities on the surface of rivers and lakes
• noise
• subdivision
• ensuring sufficient development capacity for residential and business land to meet expected long-term demands of the district or city.

Regional council responsibilities

Regional councils are charged with the integrated management of the natural and physical resources of a region.

Regional councils are generally responsible for making decisions about:

• discharges of contaminants to land, air or water
• water quality and quantity
• the coastal marine area
• soil conservation
• land use to avoid natural hazards
• investigating land to identify and monitor contaminated land
• ensuring sufficient development capacity for residential and business land to meet expected long-term demands of the region
• preparing regional policy statements.

Councils can also issue infringement notices, abatement notices and excessive noise directions to people who are not complying with the RMA, national environmental standards or council plans.

Monitoring RMA processes

The Ministry has a responsibility to monitor the implementation of the Resource Management Act (RMA). We are interested in how the RMA is being put into practice, highlighting any trends, and providing local authorities with information about RMA processes.

Historically, information to monitor RMA processes has been through the RMA Survey of Local Authorities

In 2014 the survey was replaced with the National Monitoring System for the RMA, see Developing a national monitoring system for the Resource Management Act.

Supplying information to the Minister

Local authorities are required to supply information at no cost to the Minister if the information is related to their functions, powers or duties under the Act, if requested.

Regional councils must supply information at no cost to the Minister of Conservation about the regional council’s monitoring of a coastal permit relating to its region, its regional coastal plan, or the exercise of a protected customary right in its region.