The successful passage today of the 250 page Resource Legislation Amendment Bill through its third reading is a major milestone for the Government’s reform programme, Environment Minister Dr Nick Smith says.

“The reforms in this Bill will help increase the supply and affordability of housing, grow the economy with more jobs and higher incomes, support infrastructure investment and improve environmental management,” Dr Smith says.

Parliament will today debate the committee stage of a Bill that is the second phase of the Government’s substantial reforms to the Resource Management Act (RMA), Environment Minister Dr Nick Smith says.

Nominations for the 27th annual Green Ribbon Awards are now open, giving New Zealanders the chance to honour our environmental leaders, Environment Minister Dr Nick Smith and Conservation Minister Maggie Barry say.

“These prestigious awards recognise outstanding contributions by individuals, communities and organisations to protect and enhance the environment. Previous years have showcased an impressive array of initiatives making a difference to our natural assets and wildlife,” Dr Smith says.

Design standards and building laws will be reviewed in response to an investigation into structural damage to Wellington’s Statistics House in the Kaikōura earthquake, Building and Construction Minister Dr Nick Smith says.

Dr Smith today released an independent panel’s findings into the performance of the building during the 14 November 2016 quake, focussing on its design and construction, and the land influences on it.

The housing development at Point England is the sort of pragmatic response needed to overcome Auckland’s housing problems, Building and Construction Minister Dr Nick Smith says.

“The Point England housing development will provide 300 more families with a warm, dry home, enhance the recreational facilities and space for the surrounding community, as well as help settle Ngāti Paoa’s treaty claim and provide a site for a marae.

The Government has welcomed today’s release of the OECD 2017 Environment Performance Review, saying it highlights New Zealand’s green credentials and the strong progress we have made over the past decade, as well as the challenges we need to address, Environment Minister Dr Nick Smith says.

Building and Construction Minister Dr Nick Smith has welcomed the Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment’s (MBIE) Tenancy Compliance and Investigations Team’s first successful prosecution of a landlord for renting a substandard property, under the Government’s tenancy law reform passed last year.

The amount of water exported in bottles is so small that it is irrelevant to the important discussion on better managing New Zealand’s freshwater resources, Environment Minister Dr Nick Smith says.

“We use a million times more water for irrigation, town water supply and industry than that for bottled export. Bottled water exports are such a small fraction that it is a distraction to the important debate about how New Zealand better manages its freshwater resources.”

Legislation to improve environmental management, help increase housing supply and affordability, and support jobs and growth has passed its second reading in Parliament 61-59, Environment Minister Dr Nick Smith says.

“The Resource Legislation Amendment Bill is the largest package of reforms to the Resource Management Act (RMA) since it was first passed 25 years ago. It contains 40 proposals that make significant changes to five different Acts.

Economic Development Minister Simon Bridges and Environment Minister Dr Nick Smith today announced that a tender has been awarded to Tonkin and Taylor to assess options for managing flood and earthquake hazards in Franz Josef.

“The Franz Josef area is a significant domestic and international tourist destination. This funding will assist the community and local businesses so they can make the best decisions for the town’s long-term development,” Mr Bridges says.

A new Great Walk through the Paparoa National Park to be built as a memorial to the 29 men who died in the 2010 Pike Mine tragedy can now proceed with the approval of a new Park Management Plan, Environment Minister Dr Nick Smith announced today.

The Labour Party’s claim that “the number of dwellings consented in January was down 5 per cent on where it was in January last year” is just plain wrong, Building and Construction Minister Dr Nick Smith says.

“January dwelling consents were up both nationally (to 1752 January 2017 from 1695 January 2016) and in Auckland (to 512 from 506).

“The year to January 2017 also confirms ongoing growth nationally from the previous year (to 30,123 from 27,124) and in Auckland (to 10,032 from 9275).

Environment Minister Dr Nick Smith today welcomed the Local Government and Environment Committee’s report on the Resource Legislation Amendment Bill.

“This legislation improves New Zealand’s environmental management, helps increase the supply and affordability of housing and supports jobs and growth. It contains 40 proposals that make significant changes to five different Acts and is the most comprehensive package of reform to the Resource Management Act since its inception 25 years ago,” Dr Smith says.

The Government’s 90 per cent swimmability target covers waterways over 40cm deep and lakes more than 1.5km in perimeter so the target is practical and measureable, Environment Minister Dr Nick Smith says.

“A creek or stream that is less than 40cm deep is not that practical to swim in and there is not the reliable data on water quality in the 400,000km of smaller waterways to enable us to set meaningful targets.

The 38 streets where building owners need to secure unreinforced masonry (URM) facades and parapets from Hurunui to Wellington within a year have been identified, Building and Construction Minister Dr Nick Smith says.

“The Kaikōura Earthquake has increased the seismic risks in Wellington, Lower Hutt, Blenheim and Hurunui over the next three years. It is therefore prudent to require them to be secured and to help building owners with funding of these high-risk, URM parapets and facades to secure them.

New regulations have been approved under the Resource Management Act that provide a national approach to the use of poisons like 1080 and brodifacoum, Environment Dr Nick Smith announced today.

“Pests like stoats, rats and possums kill 25 million native birds a year, and if we are serious about ensuring the survival of species like Kiwi, we need to use effective and efficient poisons like 1080,” Dr Smith says.

A major new campaign to stop people littering aims to change behaviour and to educate people, Environment Minister Dr Nick Smith and Parliamentary Private Secretary Scott Simpson announced today at National’s Bluegreen Forum in Auckland.

The Government has released its conservation and environment science priorities for the next 20 years in a new Roadmap, Conservation and lead Minister Maggie Barry and Environment Minister Dr Nick Smith announced today at the annual Bluegreens Forum.

“We need to be certain that we have the best research and evidence available to help us protect and save our threatened bird and plant life and for all New Zealand to achieve important Government targets such as Predator Free  2050,” Ms Barry says.

Claims by some organisations that the Government’s proposed standards for improving water quality are lower and accept a higher chance of infection are incorrect, Environment Minister Dr Nick Smith says.

“The 2003 Ministry of Health guideline of not swimming when the level exceeds 540 E. coli/100ml remains. The 2014 NPS included in bold the statement that this is the ‘minimum acceptable state’ for swimming and it remains so.

The Government today announced a target of 90 per cent of New Zealand’s lakes and rivers meeting swimmable water quality standards by 2040, alongside releasing new policy, regulations, information maps and funding to help achieve the new goal.

“This ambitious plan to improve the water quality in our lakes and rivers recognises that New Zealanders expect to be able to take a dip in their local river or lake without getting a nasty bug,” Environment Minister Dr Nick Smith says.

A special tribunal has been appointed to consider an application for a Water Conservation Order on Hawke’s Bay’s Ngaruroro and Clive rivers, Environment Minister Dr Nick Smith announced today.

“The tribunal will consider an application by the New Zealand Fish and Game Council, Hawke’s Bay Fish and Game Council, Ngāti Hori ki Kohupatiki, Whitewater New Zealand, Jet Boating New Zealand, and the Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society of New Zealand to protect the outstanding values of the Ngaruroro and Clive rivers,” Dr Smith says.

Boards of Inquiry have been appointed to decide on two significant Auckland roading projects in a move which will get a decision by the end of the year, Environment Minister Dr Nick Smith and Conservation Minister Maggie Barry announced today.

Public consultation has opened on proposed legislation to fast track the redevelopment and regeneration of urban areas to better meet housing and commercial needs, Building and Construction Minister Dr Nick Smith says.

Building activity is at a record high, topping $19 billion for 2016 after five straight years of strong growth, Building and Construction Minister Dr Nick Smith says.

“This is the longest and strongest growth phase in building activity in New Zealand history. It involves record levels of investment in homes, commercial buildings and infrastructure. The total value of consents in 2016, at $19b, is the highest ever and 30 per cent more than the previous peak last decade, in inflation adjusted terms,” Dr Smith says.