Perspective with Ryan Bridge: These RMA changes hit the nail on the head

These RMA changes hit the nail on the head by putting private property rights front and centre.

These rights are basically what keeps rich countries rich and their absence keeps poor countries poor.

If a council wants to infringe on them, it should compensate you for it. And these changes lower the threshold for compensation, which is a good thing.

Want to suddenly invent a Significant Natural Area or label something 'heritage'? Well, that may cost you, Councillor.

It'll make councils think twice before imposing some of this stupid stuff on property owners. We've had too examples of councils just making these up and restricting land use on a whim. On an airy fairy idea.

The reason property rights are so important is simple. You use your land as collateral to borrow. To build. To invest. Owning acts as an incentive to build assets. It creates growth and production.

This production is then taxed. The taxes pay for nice, communal things that everybody likes. Like classrooms and hospitals.

What we need now is for politicians to stick to this plan. And not mess with it.

The new bills will pass first reading next week, and the first bits will come into effect by the end of 2026.

Half the consents currently required will no longer be needed.

Anyone who's been through the consenting process will be celebrating this.

But only if the changes stick. Only if Labour promises not to touch them. Because this is not our first rodeo.

Remember, it was Labour who first repealed the RMA and replaced it with 2 new bills. 900 pages long.

The Coalition got in and one of the first things they did was ri[ it up.

We reverted back to the RMA.

Now the Coalition's bills are out. 900 pages.

The test of how long they remain law is not lasting another term of Coalition, but a first term of Labour, whenever that may be.

Ryan Bridge is a New Zealand broadcaster who has worked on many current affairs television and radio shows. He currently hosts Newstalk ZB's Early Edition - where this article was sourced.