RMA Reforms: Threat to Outdoor Recreation, Water Quality and Public Health

A Guest Post by Dave Rhodes

The government’s sweeping Resource Management Act (RMA) reforms raise serious concerns for New Zealand’s outdoor recreation community. These changes, which prioritize development and economic growth, risk undermining the environmental protections that safeguard our waterways, natural habitats, and public recreational spaces.

Weakening Environmental Protections

The proposed reforms split the RMA into separate Planning and Natural Environment Acts, potentially creating a disconnect between development decisions and environmental protection. This division threatens to subordinate environmental considerations to development interests, with disturbing implications for water quality and ecosystem health.

Of particular concern is the shift away from protective measures for recreational species and their habitats. Unlike the current RMA, which explicitly protects trout and salmon habitats, the reforms may remove these safeguards that have historically helped maintain water quality standards benefiting all freshwater species and ecosystems.

Recreational Access at Risk

The reforms emphasize property rights and streamlined development while potentially diminishing the protection of recreational values and public access to waterways. These changes could open the door to limited public involvement in environmental decision-making, effectively silencing the voices of recreational users when development threatens favored fishing streams, tramping routes, or hunting areas.

Public Health Concerns

Degraded water quality directly impacts human health. As environmental protections are weakened and development accelerated, we risk increased pollution of our waterways, leading to greater health risks for swimmers, fishers, and communities that depend on clean water.

Call for Action

CORANZ calls upon the government to:

1. Maintain explicit protection for recreational species and their habitats
2. Ensure public access to waterways remains a priority consideration
3. Preserve the ability of recreational users to participate meaningfully in decisions affecting natural resources
4. Implement stronger safeguards for water quality standards that protect both environmental and human health

Without these protections, New Zealand’s long-standing egalitarian approach to outdoor recreation—where all citizens can access and enjoy our natural heritage regardless of wealth or status—is at risk. We must ensure RMA reforms serve both economic and environmental interests while preserving the outdoor recreational opportunities that are central to our national identity and wellbeing.