Media statement              Friday February 28, 2014

Cultural Impact Assessment process half baked, must be withdrawn

The whole proposed rules structure for the implementation of the Cultural Impact Assessments is half baked, the Employers and Manufacturers Association said in its submission on the Unitary Plan sent to the Auckland Council today.

"The whole discussion on CIAs has to be withdrawn and reworked from first principles," said Kim Campbell, EMA's chief executive.

"The proposed process is riddled with potential for perverse outcomes and unintended consequences.

"Its obvious that it lacks thought and was prepared in haste.

"For instance the scope laid out for the CIAs is so broad and ill-defined it could mean every resource consent requires one.

"Part 4 (l) of the discussion requires a CIA when there is 'construction of any significant infrastructure' without any reference to where such infrastructure is being constructed!

"The rules proposed would require a Local Board to consult with every Iwi in its area though a proposed development is only in the territory of a single Iwi and with no relevance to other Iwis in the local board area.

"The examples like this are myriad - the whole proposal has to be taken off line for discussion elsewhere.

"The Unitary Plan is simply the wrong vehicle for it as it is so obviously in its early formative stages.

"Indecent haste will serve the interests of no-one, least of all Tangata Whenua.

"EMA agrees in principle with the concept of Cultural Impact Assessments - since no one wants the accidental destroying of sites that may be of significance to the Tangata Whenua.

"However the set of proposed rules for them falls far short of the standards required for a first world city."

ENDS

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