RMA Reforms and LTPP Presentation
Presentation Summary: Proposed changes to environmental laws and organisational restructuring provides uncertainty for the continued protection of highly valued environmental features, such as Lake Taupō. Specifically, as the Lake Taupō Protection Project (LTPP) was designed to protect the lake’s water quality in perpetuity, these changes may affect the project partners and existing environmental standard guidance. This presentation provides some background to the LTPP and the status of reform changes.
Presentation Title: “Government’s environment-related reforms and the Lake Taupō Protection Project“
Presentation Abstract: The Government has been busy with environment-related reforms over the last year. The RMA will be replaced with two new laws: a Planning Bill and a Natural Environment Bill. The Ministry for the Environment will be folded into a new Ministry and reorganisation of regional and district government has a mid-2026 timetable for submission of restructuring and service-delivery plans.
Much of this legislation will impact on the organisations (e.g., Waikato Regional Council, Taupō District Council and Ministry for the Environment) that provided funding and services to the successful development of the Lake Taupō Protection Project. Therefore, reforms are of vital interest to our communities (e.g., ratepayers, Ngāti Tūwharetoa and landowners) in the Lake Taupō catchment.
What could these reforms mean for the Project and its aim to protect lake water quality in perpetuity? You are invited to a discussion of the reforms, particularly in regards of the Project, and to the development of an action plan to ensure that lake water quality protection continues into the future.
Presentation Slides (below) and Presentation Recording
