Executive Summary

The preparation of the Regional Policy Statement for Northland (RPS) began in 1992, with the document being made operative in March 1999. The purpose of the RPS is to give an overview of the resource management issues of the region and provide objectives, policies and methods to achieve integrated management of the natural and physical resources of Northland.

The Resource Management Act 1991 (RMA) requires the Northland Regional Council (NRC) to monitor the efficiency and effectiveness of policies, rules, or other methods in the RPS and to make available to the public a review of the results of its monitoring at intervals of no more than five years. In addition, pursuant to section 79 (1) of the RMA, the NRC is required to commence a full review of the RPS no later than 10 years after the statement became operative.

This document provides an extensive review of the RPS that sets the platform for the development of Northland's new RPS.

The RPS has been reasonably effective in providing for the integrated management of the natural and physical resources of Northland. However, experience has highlighted weak statutory relationships to plans and issues of policy duplication and overlaps which will need to be remedied. In addition, the lack of knowledge amongst stakeholders and other agencies about the existence and contents of the document itself has restricted its efficiency.

While it is too early to define the scope and structure of the new RPS, it is acknowledged that it will probably be quite different to the current RPS. The current RPS is focused on managing our natural and physical resources, whereas the new RPS is expected to provide a more balanced view of economic, environmental and infrastructure priorities.

New challenges have emerged or increased in importance, such as climate change genetically modified organisms and integrated infrastructure.

Numerous amendments to the RMA have also occurred since the RPS was made operative and will need to be incorporated. These include amendments to the purpose and principles of the RMA, regional and district functions and responsibilities, and the relationship of the RPS to regional and district plans.