Resource Management Act 1991

E46038

The Resource Management Act 1991 is New Zealand’s principal environmental and land-use planning law, establishing an integrated framework for managing natural and physical resources while recognizing Māori interests and Treaty of Waitangi principles.


Statements (55)
Predicate Object
instanceOf New Zealand statute
environmental law
planning law
administeredBy Ministry for the Environment (New Zealand)
classifiesActivitiesAs controlled activities
discretionary activities
non-complying activities
permitted activities
prohibited activities
restricted discretionary activities
country New Zealand
criticisedFor complexity and cost of consent processes
delays in infrastructure and housing development approvals
enactedBy New Zealand Parliament
establishes Environment Court of New Zealand jurisdiction over RMA matters
resource consent system
focusesOn effects-based management of activities
hasBeenSubjectTo numerous amendments since 1991
implementedBy regional councils
territorial authorities
influencedBy sustainable development discourse of the late 20th century
jurisdiction New Zealand
keyConcept sustainable management
keySection section 6
section 7
section 8
partiallySupersededBy Natural and Built Environment Act 2023
Spatial Planning Act 2023
primaryPurpose sustainable management of natural and physical resources
providesFor district plans
national environmental standards
national policy statements
regional plans
regional policy statements
recognises Treaty of Waitangi
surface form: "Treaty of Waitangi principles"

kaitiakitanga
the relationship of Māori and their culture and traditions with their ancestral lands, water, sites, wāhi tapu, and other taonga
regulates coastal marine area
discharges of contaminants into the environment
use of air
use of land
use of water
relevantSectionForTreaty section 8
replaced Town and Country Planning Act 1977
Water and Soil Conservation Act 1967
various earlier resource management statutes in New Zealand
requires resource consents for certain activities affecting the environment
requiresDecisionMakersToTakeIntoAccount principles of the Treaty of Waitangi
royalAssentDate 1991
section6DealsWith matters of national importance
section7DealsWith other matters to which particular regard shall be had
section8DealsWith Treaty of Waitangi principles
sectionDefinesPurpose section 5
shortName RMA
yearEnacted 1991

Referenced by (2)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Taupō geothermal area regulatedBy Resource Management Act 1991
this entity surface form: "New Zealand Resource Management Act 1991"
Treaty of Waitangi relatedLegislation Resource Management Act 1991

Please wait…