Aquaculture Legislation Amendment Bill (No3) amendments proposed
On Monday two Supplementary Order Papers (SOP) 264 and 265, proposing substantial amendments to the Aquaculture Legislation Amendment Bill (No3) were released.
Supplementary Order Paper 264 proposes amendments which allows iwi and the Crown more flexibility in negotiating settlements under the Maori Commercial Aquaculture Claims Settlement Act 2004. The amendments provide a better platform for Māori as it allows iwi to negotiate regional settlements of commercial aquaculture; this involves 20% of any new aquaculture space. Other changes include amending the Waikato Regional Coastal Plan to establish a new 300 ha marine farming zone in the Hauraki Gulf
Supplementary Order Paper 265 proposes amendments focussed on streamlining planning and consent processes.