Labour leader Chris Hipkins Photo: RNZ / REECE BAKER
The government needs to compromise if it wants bipartisan support for replacing the RMA, Labour leader Chris Hipkins says.
The coalition wants to repeal and replace the Resource Management Act - and is looking to reach across the table to find a bipartisan consensus.
The Minister responsible for the reforms Chris Bishop said the new approach could slash administrative and compliance costs by 45 percent - saving a lot of stress and cash.
He has made it clear the coalition has the mandate to do what it liked.
Hipkins told Morning Report it was in the country's best interests for the two sides to find some common ground.
He said the party had received a letter from the government last night, however, while it was trying to establish if there was common ground it said it was unwilling to compromise.
"So I think that's not a particularly auspicious start but I think it's in the country's best interests for us to try and find some common ground and find some compromise so that we can get some stability here."
He pleaded for some true bipartisanship.
"We actually think it would be better for the country to find a way forward that offers some stability."
He said Labour was amenable to that and New Zealanders had had enough of "the RMA ping pong" with new governments ripping up what their predecessors had done.
The lead-in times for any changes to RMA legislation provided the opportunity for working together to give certainty to people, Hipkins said.
However, compromise would also be impossible if NZ First and ACT retained a right of veto.
"I've said the door's open, let's have that conversation."
Hipkins said there was a lot of common ground, citing planning zones where Labour had settled on 15 or 16 while Bishop was aiming for 13.
The removal of all references to the Treaty of Waitangi would be a concern for Labour, Hipkins said.
Hipkins wants O'Connor to stay
Labour still wanted to have a role for Greg O'Connor who would need some time to get accustomed to the disappearance of his seat Ohariu.
"We still want him as an MP so we'll find a way forward. Greg's pretty resilient and pretty stoic ... He adds a lot to the Labour team and I really want to see him stay in Parliament."
It was yet to be decided if he would stand in another seat or move to the list, Hipkins said.
