We have signed as a country the Paris Accord. There’s no debate that our world is heating up. Are we going to remain like the frog in the slowly heating up bath or are we going to stand up and say “enough”.
More bills passed under urgency this week to further undermine our future…
I listen to ministers demonstrating their lack of understanding, or commitment, to the environment and I despair. Next year we will continue to focus on this topic. It could be woven into the debate about the future of Ecan.
At the heart of this debate is an even more uncomfortable truth: we are, collectively, being selfish.
Some of the most vocal opposition to climate regulation is coming from groups demanding more support when their own farms or homes go under.
We want protection from climate change. But not if that means losing the view, the car park, or the golf course. We want flood defences and sea walls but would rather not pay for them.
We assume someone else will always foot the bill — as long as we don’t have to give up anything ourselves.
The recently announced changes replacing the RMA may look interesting but the dangers not discussed publicly in most of the media are well covered by Bryce Edwards in this article Democracy Briefing: The Winners behind RMA reform
In the final paragraphs he wrote:
The way these reforms are being rushed through only adds to the concern. The coalition is advancing this massive legislation under urgency, severely limiting scrutiny and debate. This “bulldozer” approach to lawmaking is reminiscent of the Muldoon era and uses the same officials who designed the fast-track processes to circumvent normal checks. All of this is a far cry from careful, consultative policymaking. But it fits the ethos of a government fixated on “getting things done”. In this case, they are ploughing ahead with an agenda favouring their supporters and daring anyone to slow them down.
Yes, the RMA was flawed and in need of reform. Few would disagree that the old system had become sluggish, convoluted, and frustrating. But what we’re seeing here is not a balanced fix, it’s an ideological coup. It hands enormous power to those who already hold capital and land, while ordinary citizens and future generations are told to trust that it’ll all work out.The risks of corruption, cronyism and environmental ruin are cast aside in the pursuit of growth-at-any-cost.
In a healthy democracy, big changes like this ought to benefit the many, not just a privileged few. So, the question remains: who is our planning system really being redesigned to serve? By stripping away safeguards and concentrating power with ministers and their mates, the Government is betting that voters won’t notice or won’t care. But if the RMA reforms end up enriching a handful while our environment and communities pay the price, it will be a stark sign that our democracy is failing, captured by vested interests wearing the mask of reform.
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