Since signing Coalition agreements the new Government has entered a fast lane on exiting a number of projects and programmes that had been expected to help shape future years of urban design in Aotearoa NZ.
Even so, after a change of Government it can be surprisingly difficult to locate wayfinders for the directions being taken. One handy reference with a blow-by-blow breakdown of the way things are tracking is the Wikipedia page titled Sixth National Government of New Zealand.Â
The Coalition Agreements
The first signposts were of course the Coalition agreements, namely:
These were also coupled with the 100 day plan. Key sections from the Coalition Agreements of interest to UDF members are copied at the bottom of this page.Â
Who’s Who: The Ministerial line up
A PDF of the Ministerial list issued by the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet on 26 January is available here. In terms of the Minister who holds most power and influence over urban development that would be the Hon. Chris Bishop, National, as the holder of these three pivotal portfolios:
- Minister of Housing
- Minister for Infrastructure
- Minister Responsible for RMA Reform
The Hon. Simeon Brown, National, holds the next biggest set of reins of interest to UDF members, as the :
- Minister of Local Government  Â
- Minister of Transport
- Minister for Auckland
The Hon. Shane Jones, NZ First, has returned as Minister for Regional Development
National’s Chris Penk is a Minister outside Cabinet and is:
- Minister for Building and Construction
- Minister for Land Information
The Hon. Penny Simmonds, National, is the Minister for the Environment – and is also a Minister outside Cabinet.Â
As at 18 March, Mr Bishop’s biggest move to date is the Fast Track Approvals Bill. This was announced under the headline âOne-stop-shopâ to cut through red tape to get major projects under way. He also set out an agenda in a speech to the Wellington Chamber of Commerce that spoke to urban development on 27 February. The Spinoff’s Joel MacManus responded to this speech in an article titled A housing minister for the New City and a response from Greater Wellington Regional Council councillor Thomas Nash was published as Three key questions for Chris Bishopâs plan to grow our cities.
The Government has created a new portfolio – a Minister for (outer) Space. Unfortunately there is no Minister for Public Space!
The BIMs: Briefings to Incoming Ministers from agencies
BIMs can be enlightening but also frustratingly lightweight and hard to find. The Beehive doesn’t yet have a full set located on its website. Two listings of BIMs are available on the Treasury website and MBIE website.Â
Here are some shortcuts:Â
- The Ministry for Housing and Urban Development (HUD)* briefing for incoming Ministers – PDF link
- KÄinga Ora* briefing – PDF link.Â
- The Treasury’s briefing to the Minister for Infrastructure – PDF link
- The Infrastructure Commission’s briefing to the Minister for Infrastructure – PDF link
- The Ministry for the Environment’s Briefing for Incoming Ministers across Environment, Climate Change and
RMA Reform – PDF link - The Ministry of Transport’s BIM split into Strategic Briefing (PDF link) and System Briefing (PDF link)
- Waka Kotahi’s briefing to the Minister of Transport – PDF linkÂ
- The Department of Internal Affairs’ briefing to the Minister for Local Government – PDF link
- MBIE’s briefing for the Minister for Auckland – PDF link
- MBIE’s briefing for the Minister for Regional Development – PDF link
- MBIE’s briefing for the Minister for Building and Construction – PDF link
- LINZ’s briefing for the Minister of Land Information – PDF link
*. Note: The Government has commissioned an independent review of KÄinga Ora to look into the Crown agencyâs financial situation, procurement and asset management. The review is being supported by HUD and the Treasury with a report to the Government scheduled for March/April 2024. The review panel is being led by former Prime Minister Sir Bill English. The other panel members are Simon Allen and Ceinwen McNeil.
If UDF members have suggestions for additions or corrections to this list please email media@urbandesignforum.org.nzÂ
.
The lie of the land:Â
National-ACT Agreement EXCERPT Â PDF link |
National-NZ First Agreement EXCERPTÂ PDF link |
Nationalâs Going for Housing Growth policy will now accommodate the ACT/National agreement to make the Medium Density Residential Standards (MDRS) optional for councils, and to consider sharing a portion of GST collected on new residential builds with councils. The Coalition Government will also progress the following additional policies which are a priority for the ACT Party in this Parliamentary term:
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