Will the Bill make it in time before the election in November?
Simply put, the Select Committee Report into the Planning Bill has been delayed four weeks. No emails nor news was sent out by the Environment Select Committee to submitters like myself about delay. Just a quiet change to the reporting day on the Parliament website that happened to be picked up by the New Zealand Planning Institute who then posted the update into LinkedIn.
Apparently more work needs to be done and the Minister responsible (Bishop) is planning to introduce amendments to the Bill at the Committee of the Whole House Stage after Second Reading.
Will it mean the Bill passes Third Reading in time to become law? Given the Opposition will have its amendments, and Parliament rises in September for the elections in November, the short answer is “I don’t see how.” Meaning if and when we do get a change of Government the entire premise of the Bill could change again meaning we will not see the new Act well into 2027 if not 2028.
Such as it is, meaning Bishop tearing up the Spatial Planning Act and Natural Built Environment Act rather than amending them could have proven to be very unwise. We shall see come July 20 providing there is no more delays!
Talking Southern Auckland 