Christina Sheard, Environment and Planning Partner at Dentons, will provide a broad overview of the current course of travel for resource management reform including:

• the repeal of the ‘new’ legislation late last year; 
• the Fast Track Approvals Bill;
• the next round of proposed RMA amendments: and the Government’s longer term reform objectives to replace the RMA entirely.

For the second part of the session, Christina will be joined by Marija Batistich, Senior Corporate Counsel at KiwiRail for a Q+A session.

Marija has direct experience with applications under the COVID Fast Track Act and was seconded to Te Waihanga to assist the Ministry for the Environment during preparation of the national planning framework. Marija will provide her insights on the potential opportunities and pitfalls presented by the proposed new fast track process and the next round of amendments from an inhouse perspective.