Ian McLean Spokesperson for the Green Party

Humans have been described as the most domesticated species in the world. That means we specialise in adjusting the environment to suit our needs, rather than the other way around.

Animals such as beavers adjust their environment, strip out the local resources, and then move on. Once upon a time, humans did much the same.

Today, most humans remain in one place and demand the environment support that decision, whatever the cost. A resource consent is our mechanism for regulating that cost/benefit trade-off. That consent is supposed to deliver what might be called ‘wise use'.

It is hardly surprising that some find it frustrating when regulation restricts opportunity, because resource exploitation, profitability, and wise use, are very uneasy companions.

The current round of RMA revision is shifting the ground towards exploitation. During consultation meetings in Tauranga on March 23, officials from the Ministry of Environment insisted that environmental protection will not be compromised.

The consent system is already failing to protect waterways and estuaries, and those assurances were less than convincing.

Ian McLean is a spokesperson for the Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand. Contact: Ian G. McLean, 021 547556, 07 5794670, ian.mclean@greens.org.nz