17 December 2008

Media Release

Rodney Mayor to sit on RMA Review Board

Rodney District Mayor Penny Webster has been appointed by Environment Minister Nick Smith to sit on the technical advisory board that will help the Government draft its reforms of the Resource Management Act.

Mayor Webster will be joined by barrister Alan Dormer, who will chair the group, environmental consultant Guy Salmon, barrister Paul Majuery, Tasman District Council Environment and Planning Manager Dennis Bush-King, barrister Michael Holm, planning consultant Michael Forster and former deputy prime minister Wyatt Creech, .

The Environment Minister says this group will provide independent perspective and analysis to the Government.

Dr Smith said Mrs Webster was appointed to the group as an individual not as a Local Government Association representative. He added that she will contribute an understanding of rural issues and local government to the advisory group.

The group has been formed as part of the National-ACT post election agreement. The Government is expected to introduce a bill with its RMA reforms to parliament in February 2009.

“I look forward to helping to make improvements to the RMA as well as giving a local government perspective to any proposed changes,” Mrs Webster says.

“I bring to the role many different experiences of the RMA from my time as a farmer and now as a local body politician. I am delighted to be in a position to use that experience to effect change.”

ENDS

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