Streamlining Cyclone Hale and Gabrielle recovery

New legislation has been introduced to parliament to remove red tape and help the recovery of the regions affected by Cyclones Hale and Gabrielle: the Severe Weather Emergency Legislation Bill (the Bill). At it's heart, the Bill recognises it may not be possible to effectively and efficiently manage the impacts of extreme weather events, while simultaneously complying with RMA planning and regulatory requirements or meet timeframes for obtaining retrospective consents.

The omnibus Bill is similar to legislation passed after the Christchurch and Kaikoura earthquakes and will assist both landowners and councils by easing the administrative burden of applying for consents to undertake emergency, remedial and preventative works.