This Supplementary Order Paper proposes amendments to the COVID-19 Recovery (Fast-track Consenting) Bill.

Clause 6 (Treaty of Waitangi) is replaced to reinstate the version that was included in the Bill as introduced. This would require those who perform functions and exercise powers under the Bill to act in a manner that is consistent with the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi and Treaty settlements (rather than requiring only that the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi be taken into account).

Clause 34 is the empowering provision for Orders in Council to add agencies that may carry out work on infrastructure in reliance on subpart 2 of Part 2 of the Bill. Clause 34(1) requires the Minister for the Environment (the Minister) to be satisfied of certain matters before recommending that an order be made under that section. Clause 34(1) is replaced to reinstate the requirement for the Minister to be satisfied, before recommending that an order be made, that the recommendation is consistent with clause 6.

In Schedule 6, consequential amendments are made to insert new clauses 27(3), 29(2), and 31(6), and to amend clause 32(1)(b), to reflect that the wording of clause 6 is different from that of section 8 of the Resource Management Act 1991. Clause 29(12) is replaced to reinstate the requirement for an expert consenting panel to decline consent for a referred project if necessary to comply with clause 6.