55053 (2025). Hon Rachel Brooking to the Minister responsible for RMA Reform

55053 (2025). Hon Rachel Brooking to the Minister responsible for RMA Reform: Is he planning options that will reduce, remove, or transfer the current statutory functions of regional councils as part of the reforms to the Resource Management Act, and if so, what is the nature of these?

Hon Chris Bishop: I refer the member to my press release of 25 November 2025 - https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/simpler-more-cost-effective-local-government. Simplifying Local Government is a proposal that is out for public consultation. Final decisions will be made next year. The proposal is that the governance of regional councils changes from elected regional councillors to a Combined Territories Board (CTB) made up of city and district mayors in each region. If the proposal is agreed, the underlying regional council entity and its functions and responsibilities remain – including in relation to RMA functions – but will be governed by the CTB once new legislation is enacted. Regional reorganisation plans, developed by CTBs, will set out where functions and responsibilities sit in the future. The Expert Advisory Group on Resource Management Reform made recommendations in respect of a limited number of functions of Regional Councils. The Government has not made final decisions on those recommendations and will consider them in parallel to other legislation to replace the RMA.