Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

Banks eyes big changes to Resource Management Act

Updated at 2:14 pm on 4 February 2012

The Small Business Minister says the Resource Management Act is first on his wish-list for changes in his new ministerial post.

John Banks says the RMA is strangling small businesses and needs to be overhauled.

The Government is working on a second phase of reforms of the act and the Economic Development Ministry has told Mr Banks in a post-election briefing that he needs to help lessen the regulatory burden on small businesses.

Mr Banks says the RMA is strangling the more than 200,000 businesses in New Zealand that employ less than 10 people.

Some provisions in the act need to be changed to allow investment and growth in small business, he says.

The minister says he will also be reviewing how ACC could work better for business.

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