Media Release

The Far North District Council has held its first resource consent hearings with independent commissioners, following its decision to shift from a hearings committee structure.

The move away from a councillor-comprised hearings committee is seen as offering more choice to applicants, while at the same time distancing councillors from a sometimes contentious process.

The council holds a list of commissioners, their cost per hour and their availability, and is inviting other certified commissioners to put their names forward for inclusion. Applicants are able to choose who they want to hear their application from the list.

Commissioners cannot be appointed if there is a conflict of interest; for example, a friend of a developer. On the other hand, the developer is able to choose a commissioner that he or she considers to be impartial.

The new hearing process will be evaluated after six months to see if any changes are needed.

Independent commissioners have to be trained at their own expense and certified by the Ministry of Environment and their decisions are able to be appealed by the Environment Court.

The training is done by the University of Auckland’s centre for continuing education and further information is available from http://www.mfe.govt.nz/rma/practitioners/good-decisions/index.html

Certified commissioners who would like to be added to the council’s list are asked to contact the hearings administrator on 0800 920 029 or (09) 405 2750

For further information please contact:-

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Page created/updated: 4 March, 2008

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