I am pleased to be able to present this the seventh Resource Management Act: Survey of Local Authorities, produced by the Ministry for the Environment with the assistance of the local and regional authorities. We continue to refine the process so that the survey is easier to administer and answer and so the results will be more useful. This survey has new questions, a more streamlined verification process and a dedicated analyst dealing with the survey at the Ministry for the Environment.
I thank those council staff at the grass roots who were charged with managing the collation and return of the results for your individual councils. It was a demanding exercise and for some councils more so than others. We acknowledge busy people at a pressing time of year, and we appreciate the efforts that you made.
The results of the RMA survey help monitor the effect and implementation of the RMA. The Ministry for the Environment uses the results to highlight trends for RMA processes and as well as promote good practice. Councils too benefit from the survey. The survey provides a useful check of internal systems and processes and is useful when answering public enquiries.
I encourage you to make use of it where you can. When making comparisons be mindful of comparing equivalent councils and do make use of the good practice commentary throughout the report.
Hon Marian L Hobbs
MINISTER FOR THE ENVIRONMENT
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Foreword
March 2005
© Ministry for the Environment