From RNZ · RNZ | Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa · · 1m 10s
Act pledges ban on compulsory karakia in resource consents
Act party to remove religious ceremonies from resource consent requirements.
In brief
Act party to remove religious ceremonies from resource consent requirements. Act proposes banning compulsory karakia and spiritual observances in resource consents if elected. Originally reported by RNZ.
Act party proposes spiritual exclusion
The ACT party says it wants to leave spirituality out of infrastructure planning by ruling out religious ceremonies as a condition of resource consents.
Simon Court explains spiritual effects
Simon Court, ACT's Infrastructure, Energy and Climate Change spokesperson, says planning law should regulate measurable effects and protect legal rights, not spiritual beliefs.
Karakia in IKEA consent case
The IKEA Sylvia Park consent required invitations to seven mana whenua groups for karakia and ceremonies at construction milestones.
New laws exclude spiritual effects
The new Planning Act and Natural Environment Act, which became law this week, do not carry over the RMA's spiritual value requirement.
ACT proposes spiritual exclusion rules
ACT would exclude purely spiritual effects from resource consents, banning compulsory spiritual observances and replacing Te Mana o te Wai with measurable freshwater outcomes.
What happens next
ACT says it will finish the job by implementing rules that protect real heritage sites and water quality while removing spiritual requirements from resource consents.
The big picture
Act proposes banning compulsory karakia and spiritual observances in resource consents if elected.
