The 33 years since the Resource Management Act passed into law have correlated with suppressed growth of renewables and diminishing domestic fossil fuel production – this isn’t to say there aren’t other factors, but there’s little doubt NZ’s status quo for planning and environmental regulations can’t be improved upon.
The Fast-Track Approvals Bill is out for consultation with submissions due by the 19th of April – whatever legislation may look like after some panel beating following consultation, select committee, debates in the house etc it’s hard to argue for the status quo if NZ’s energy needs are to be met, whatever the sources happen to be.