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ACT won't back government's proposed RMA bill

17:40 pm on 3 December 2015

The ACT party says it will not back the government's proposed resource management legislation because it is too weak.

The bill, which has its first reading in Parliament this afternoon, is aimed at speeding up planning and consenting processes, in part to enable more houses to be built.

ACT leader David Seymour says RMA reform was promised but the proposed changes are merely tinkering.

He says the crucial sections six and seven, addressing the principles of the law, remain unchanged and no significant property rights protection has been added.

The government has secured initial support for the bill from the Labour and Maori parties, so it will pass its first reading.