Viewpoint – Fast-tracked feedback

I’m cautious when I hear the word ‘fast’ in front of another. For example, fast food, fast cars, fast women or fast men, for that matter. Not judging, but they are common phrases to highlight my point that this added word can result in something good on one hand, but with unwanted after-effects on the other.

How does this relate to the local board? Quite topical is the Fast-Track Approvals Bill. Ironically, as usual, the feedback itself was also ‘fast-tracked’. Two days for the local board to review the council report on it along with the bill, collaborate as a board and submit our formal feedback. Combine that with our other workload requirements for our ‘part-time’ role, then it is fast-tracked feedback, which is, in my opinion, dangerous for democracy.

Another prime example was our March business meeting. A packed agenda including 700-plus pages of reading material and preparation of feedback for two policy reviews, two private plan change applications (including additional expert reports to read) and Notice of Requirement roading proposals.

The local board members received this agenda information the Friday before our Wednesday meeting, roughly the same time it was available to public.

A risk to democracy? If not all elected members have read this huge amount of information within tight deadlines, then decisions could be made by relying on the interpretations of other members. The time this meeting preparation takes also detracts from other aspects of our role, which may not get as well attended to.

The amount of material to digest is often due to legislative requirements. Timelines on policy reviews are usually set by central government, with significantly more to complete leading up to and after elections. The local board is often the last to receive the complete information, rightly so when community consultation feedback and expert staff advice are part of what we consider. Some of the material we cover in workshops, but not all. Either way, we are a link in the chain of events that includes staff busting their guts to get reports finalised for us. These internal department processes end up creating a domino effect until final deadlines are just unreasonable. A definite reason we should advocate for simplicity in reports and an extension of the time allowed for reviewing material ready for decisions or feedback. Hopefully, making this process more efficient and effective.

So, I am curious whenever anything is fast-tracked in our process. Which gets us back to the Fast-Track Approvals Bill. When you have a bill that is set to over-rule legislation such as the Resource Management Act, which has taken significant time and consideration to evolve, let’s just say I’m cautious and concerned about the long-term effects that infrastructure and development approved in a ‘fast’ way could have.