Government to pass under urgency amendments for the Unitary Plan Hearings Panel
I caught on Twitter earlier the following:
That Bill is this:
Local Government (Auckland Transitional Provisions) Amendment Bill
This Bill amends the Local Government (Auckland Transitional Provisions) Act 2010. The purpose of the amendment is to provide more flexibility for the Auckland Unitary Plan Independent Hearings Panel to help ensure that it can deliver its recommendations on the proposed Auckland Unitary Plan to the Auckland Council by the statutory deadline of 50 working days before the expiry of 3 years from the notification of the proposed plan.
| Member in charge: | Hon Dr Nick Smith |
|---|---|
| Type of bill: | Government |
| Parliament: | 51 |
| Bill no: | 70-1 |
| Introduction: | 14/10/15 |
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This Bill would allow:
Local Government (Auckland Transitional Provisions) Amendment Bill 2015
| Date of Introduction: | 14 October 2015 | |
| Portfolio: | Environment | |
| Select Committee: | As at 9 November, 1st Reading not held. | |
| Published: 9 November 2015by John McSoriley BA LL.B, BarristerLegislative AnalystP: (04) 817-9626 (Ext. 9626) | Caution: This Digest was prepared to assist consideration of the Bill by members of Parliament. It has no official status.Although every effort has been made to ensure accuracy, it should not be taken as a complete or authoritative guide to the Bill. Other sources should be consulted to determine the subsequent official status of the Bill. | |
Purpose
The main aim of the Bill is to amend the Local Government (Auckland Transitional Provisions) Act 2010 (the Act) in relation to the Auckland Unitary Plan Independent Hearings Panel (the Hearings Panel) in order to speed up its consideration on the proposed Auckland Unitary Plan (the proposed AUP) for this consideration to be completed by the statutory deadline of 50 working days before the expiry of three years from the notification of the proposed plan (22 July 2016).
Background
The Bill, in particular,
- reduces the quorum required for hearing sessions from three members to two members;
- increases the number of appointments of members of the Hearings Panel members from seven to ten (excluding the chairperson), introduces a consultation requirement in relation to appointments and enables the Hearings Panel to hold concurrent sessions (and validates concurrent sessions held before the commencement of the Bill); and
- gives the Hearings Panel the ability to make its recommendations on the proposed Auckland Unitary Plan in stages (rather than in one final report) after hearings are completed on a particular topic.
Departmental disclosure statement
http://legislation.govt.nz/disclosure.aspx?type=bill&subtype=government&year=2015&no=70
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Given Transport, Business Zones (including City Centre) and the Residential Zones have all been heard leaving the Rezoning exercise left as the last major piece to be heard it is interesting this Amendment is coming through the House. However, what we cant see behind the scenes like the exhausting conferences and debates around the Auckland Council Development Capacity Model for the Residential Zones, and continued debate around “heritage” would be bogging down the Hearing Panel thus a catalyst for this Amendment to come through under urgency.
It should be through by end of Thursday and in place by next week. I wonder when the Panel will start releasing its Recommendations on certain topics as a result of this Bill?
Talking Southern Auckland 
Yet further traces of the disastrous trainwreck that Rodney Hide impose on Auckland.
Given his political stance, he should volunteer to be sued for the damage he and his cronies did to democracy and community in Auckland.