100 signatures reached
To: The House of Representatives
Save the Waitākere Ranges Heritage Area
We are calling on the House of Representatives to safeguard the protections of the Waitākere Ranges Heritage Area Act 2008 by amending the Natural Environment Bill and the Planning Bill.
Why is this important?
The Waitakere Ranges are precious. They provide Auckland with fresh air and clean water. They provide us with serenity and artistic inspiration. They have been described as “the lungs of Tamaki Makaurau” and Te Wao Nui o Tiriwa is a very effective sequesterer of carbon.
To address threats to the Ranges, the Waitakere Ranges Heritage Area Act was passed in 2008. It has worked well at holding development pressures at bay and maintaining the beauty and uniqueness of the Ranges.
Law changes now before Parliament risk gutting the protections in the Waitākere Ranges Heritage Area Act 2008. The Heritage Area Act cross-references the Resource Management Act. But the Government is replacing the RMA with the Planning Bill and the Natural Environment Bill without updating those references — which would render large parts of the Heritage Area Act meaningless. That would strip consent processes, Regional Spatial Plans and Land Use Plans of their duty to protect the Ranges. In short: the Ranges could be weakened by a thousand cuts. Subdivision of the Ranges would be more likely and decision makers would not have to have as one of their guiding principles the protection of the Ranges.
To address threats to the Ranges, the Waitakere Ranges Heritage Area Act was passed in 2008. It has worked well at holding development pressures at bay and maintaining the beauty and uniqueness of the Ranges.
Law changes now before Parliament risk gutting the protections in the Waitākere Ranges Heritage Area Act 2008. The Heritage Area Act cross-references the Resource Management Act. But the Government is replacing the RMA with the Planning Bill and the Natural Environment Bill without updating those references — which would render large parts of the Heritage Area Act meaningless. That would strip consent processes, Regional Spatial Plans and Land Use Plans of their duty to protect the Ranges. In short: the Ranges could be weakened by a thousand cuts. Subdivision of the Ranges would be more likely and decision makers would not have to have as one of their guiding principles the protection of the Ranges.
The Bill is reported back to Parliament on June 26. Urgent action is needed if we are to fix this before then.
Together we can protect the Waitākere Ranges Heritage Area for future generations. Please sign and share this petition with friends and family.
For more information please refer to this Environmental Defence Society article in the Herald and the Waitākere Ranges Local Board's submission can be read here.