Consultation – seeking your views

Current consultations

Proposed national environmental standard for on-site wastewater systems [Closes 26 September 2008]

Scope of a national policy statement on urban design [Closes 30 September 2008]

There are many different ways that central and local government seek your views on environmental issues.

You can have your say when Parliament is considering amendments to New Zealand's environmental laws or new laws. Select committees give detailed consideration to Bills - you can have a direct input into the parliamentary process by making written submissions and attending public hearings. You can find out about Bills before select committees and closing dates for submissions from the Parliament website. This also provides advice on how to make a submission to a select committee.

Many of the decisions that affect you and your environment are made by your regional, city or district council. These include decisions about regional and district plans and people's applications for resource consent. You can have your say on any resource consent that has been publicly notified, and on proposed policy statements and plans, or changes to plans. The Resource Management Act encourages us to get involved in decisions relating to our environment.

The Ministry's booklet "Getting in On The Act" explains how you can have your say on environmental matters managed by local government under the Resource Management Act (RMA). See also our RMA information for the public and business.

The Ministry provides a forum for having your say on environmental topics that matter to you through the Talk Environment Roadshow. A team of Ministry staff members visit each of New Zealand's main centres to gather valuable information and input from the community, business and iwi on key environment issues. The feedback from roadshow attendees is used in our work programmes.