Dr Bryce Wilkinson: Granny flat red tape changes shifts risk from councils onto homeowners

New Zealanders once took pride in being a resilient “do-it-yourself” (DIY) people.

Working city fathers, like mine, would spend much of their weekends working on their houses, gardens, fruit trees or sheds. Farmers would build cottages for shearers, farm managers and elderly relatives without much red tape. They needed to.

Point of Order: Buzz from the Beehive - 22/11/24

More young offenders will get boot camp, bus drivers will get some protection – and there’s relief for southern farmers

The Government has struck more blows to show it is tough on law and order.

One announcement advised us of a bill introduced to Parliament to deal with young offenders and introduce more boot camps.

Kerre Woodham: How necessary are resource consents?

Let's start with the announcement yesterday from Chris Bishop allowing people to build small granny flats without requiring consent. It's followed through, the coalition government, on its promise to cut red tape around the resource consent process. The announcement was made yesterday, and they said it will be easier for people to put a granny flat in their backyard without having to go through the hoohah of a costly consent process.