We’ve all had those moments. You open a file, ready to work through a consent or compliance issue, and before long, you find yourself sucked into the detail. But sometimes the most effective way to approach the issue is to pause, understand the bigger picture, and get clear on what really matters.

In resource management, the ability to communicate effectively is just as critical as technical expertise. Whether engaging with stakeholders, guiding policy decisions, or presenting expert evidence, the way we convey information shapes perceptions, influences decisions, and ultimately determines the success of our work.

While it might sound like I’m jumping the gun on my excitement for the ability of Councils to cost recover for more of their compliance work. I am hopeful that this one is a no brainer to make it through in the RMA amendment bill 2.

At this time of year everything seems to go crazy. Workloads escalate, members of the public become even more stressed heading into the Christmas break and we are in a time of enormous change. The Resource Management Act (RMA), which many of us have worked with and become familiar with is being replaced, central and local government jobs are at risk due to restructures, and we are having to grapple with big issues like climate change. At times like this it can feel as if we can’t do anything about it and that any effort we make as individuals will be meaningless.

As the newest member of the Brighta Consulting whānau, I have a lot to be excited about and thankful for. Despite the enormous changes taking place in the Resource Management world, there are great people to work with and opportunities for growth, resilience, and progress to embrace. I wanted to take a moment to share a bit about me and how I became a Strategic Environmental Consultant with Brighta.

I spend a lot of time thinking about efficiencies that can be gained in council’s resource consent processes. Probably too much time!

With the spotlight on ‘red tape’, and overhauling the RMA (again), we can be distracted from the day-to-day realities for how resource consents play out on the ground.

Throughout my work in compliance and enforcement in Councils and now as a consultant helping councils, I have regularly come across compliance officers who feel uncomfortable using enforcement.

I've always been interested in how to share and communicate information effectively. Since joining Brighta, creating infographics has been a surprisingly rewarding experience, revealing a whole new side of myself!

There is a common thread across all the projects that I’m working on at the moment – the role of discretion in resource management decision-making.

Management Plans are an important tool for providing flexibility for consent holders as they provide an opportunity to park some of the more detailed effects management considerations until later.

Last week I read about the case in the Court of Appeal – Page v Greater Wellington Regional Council [2024] NZCA 51 where the Court overturned 29 charges and set aside a $118,742 fine and three month prison sentence because Greater Wellington (GW) had not proved that the alleged wetlands support “a natural ecosystem of plants and animals that are adapted to wet conditions” as required by the definition of wetlands in the Resource Management Act (RMA).

I am not a climate change expert but have certainly seen the effects of climate change in my professional and private life. It is really worrying to see how little effective, practical action is being taken by many of the decision-makers in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Ecosystems exist outside of private property rights. Water doesn’t follow property boundaries. Simply put, there will always be a role for regulation when it comes to environmental protection.

The three years I spent at Auckland Council as a resource consent planner brought both challenges and rewards.

Section 56 of the Natural and Built Environment Act (NBEA) introduced a new requirement for a local authority to have a compliance and enforcement strategy.

Throughout my time working in local government, one thing I have consistently noticed is how compliance and enforcement work is valued less than the other council work, and is chronically under-resourced.

Somewhere along the way, planners seem to have been taught that report writing is the value they add to the world.

One thing I noticed while working in regulatory compliance is that when everyone gets really busy, the first thing to suffer is training.

As a front-line officer for Council, a compliance officer can find that dealing with regulated parties can come with its challenges.

The new NBEA compliance provisions introduce some game changers for compliance officers and councils