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Resource Management Act 1991

Purpose and principles

6: Matters of national importance

You could also call this:

“Looking after New Zealand's special places and resources is important”

When you are managing the use, development, and protection of natural and physical resources, you need to think about some important things. You have to consider the preservation of the natural character of the coastal environment, including the coastal marine area, wetlands, and lakes and rivers. You also have to protect outstanding natural features and landscapes, areas of significant indigenous vegetation and habitats of indigenous fauna.

You must think about maintaining and enhancing public access to and along the coastal marine area, lakes, and rivers. The relationship of Maori and their culture and traditions with their ancestral lands, water, sites, waahi tapu, and other taonga is also important. You have to protect historic heritage and protected customary rights from inappropriate subdivision, use, and development.

You also need to manage significant risks from natural hazards, and protect the coastal environment, wetlands, and lakes and rivers from inappropriate subdivision, use, and development, as stated in the Resource Management Act 1991, which was amended by the Resource Management Amendment Act 2003, the Marine and Coastal Area (Takutai Moana) Act 2011, and the Resource Legislation Amendment Act 2017.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM231907.

Topics:
Environment and resources > Conservation Environment and resources > Town planning Māori affairs > Māori land Housing and property > Land use
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5: Purpose, or

"This law aims to help people use and protect nature in a way that's good for everyone now and in the future."

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7: Other matters, or

"Considering the environment and using resources responsibly"

Part 2 Purpose and principles

6Matters of national importance

  1. In achieving the purpose of this Act, all persons exercising functions and powers under it, in relation to managing the use, development, and protection of natural and physical resources, shall recognise and provide for the following matters of national importance:

  2. the preservation of the natural character of the coastal environment (including the coastal marine area), wetlands, and lakes and rivers and their margins, and the protection of them from inappropriate subdivision, use, and development:
    1. the protection of outstanding natural features and landscapes from inappropriate subdivision, use, and development:
      1. the protection of areas of significant indigenous vegetation and significant habitats of indigenous fauna:
        1. the maintenance and enhancement of public access to and along the coastal marine area, lakes, and rivers:
          1. the relationship of Maori and their culture and traditions with their ancestral lands, water, sites, waahi tapu, and other taonga:
            1. the protection of historic heritage from inappropriate subdivision, use, and development:
              1. the protection of protected customary rights:
                1. the management of significant risks from natural hazards.

                  Notes
                  • Section 6(f): inserted, on , by section 4 of the Resource Management Amendment Act 2003 (2003 No 23).
                  • Section 6(g): replaced, on , by section 128 of the Marine and Coastal Area (Takutai Moana) Act 2011 (2011 No 3).
                  • Section 6(h): inserted, on , by section 6 of the Resource Legislation Amendment Act 2017 (2017 No 15).