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Following Reply 20047 (2026), does the Minister accept that the requirement to provide a 35-year period for a resource consent for an activity that meets the requirements of a wastewater environmental performance, which he cites as the reason for not following advice from Health New Zealand, was introduced by the Minister himself through section 89(1) of the Local Government (Water Services) (Repeals and Amendments) Act 2025 (2025 No 43)?

Corrected reply Question 27721 (2026)
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Asked by

Lan Pham

List MP · Green Party

Question

  • Following Reply 20047 (2026), does the Minister accept that the requirement to provide a 35-year period for a resource consent for an activity that meets the requirements of a wastewater environmental performance, which he cites as the reason for not following advice from Health New Zealand, was introduced by the Minister himself through section 89(1) of the Local Government (Water Services) (Repeals and Amendments) Act 2025 (2025 No 43)?

Answered by

Hon Simon Watts

Member for North Shore · National Party · Minister of Local Government

Answer

Corrected reply: No. The 35-year consent period for activities that meet the relevant wastewater environmental performance requirements was already provided for in clause 277 of the Local Government (Water Services) (Repeals and Amendments) Bill. The Bill is available here: https://www.legislation.govt.nz/bill/government/2024/108-A/en/latest/#LMS1463530. The Select Committee’s consideration of clause 277 is discussed from page 369 of the Departmental Report to Select Committee: https://www3.parliament.nz/resource/en-NZ/54SCFIN_ADV_fb7b9127-28f5-42b3-5e06-08dd18a12bfb_FIN4379/b2b6695e017cecf492ca13e249005c35ce76c833