26 Aug 2009

Farmers want assurances about compensation from RMA reform

6:38 am on 26 August 2009

Federated Farmers wants assurances from the Government that it will consider the rules around compensation for landowners if property rights are lost under the Resource Management Act.

The Local Government and Environment Committee has been considering a bill simplifying the Resource Management Act.

It has proposed a number of amendments clarifying aspects of the bill, including scrapping a clause that would have limited appeals against council plans.

The Government issued details of the first of its two stages of RMA reform six months ago, but is yet to release the second stage.

Federated Farmers is concerned that the select committee's recommendations do not include anything about compensation and it wants the Government to address this.

President Don Nicolson says property rights are being eroded daily in New Zealand and it's time for this to be enshrined in law.