Pot blames kettle for consent delays

The Dom Post reports:

The Government’s call for more renewable energy is being hobbled by slow consent processes for wind farms, prompting Environment Minister David Benson-Pope to call in chief environment judge John Bollard to discuss the delays.

Blaming the Judges for the delays when the Government has not only refused to amend the RMA to allow for quicker decision making on consents, but in fact has made changes which make delays even more likely – well classic pot calling the kettle black.

The RMA changes do not have to reduce the ability of the community to have their say on consents. It is about reducing the time and complexity of the multiple stages, and the ability to take a case directly to the Environment Court if you know it will inevitably end up there anyway.