Last week I read about the case in the Court of Appeal – Page v Greater Wellington Regional Council [2024] NZCA 51 where the Court overturned 29 charges and set aside a $118,742 fine and three month prison sentence because Greater Wellington (GW) had not proved that the alleged wetlands support “a natural ecosystem of plants and animals that are adapted to wet conditions” as required by the definition of wetlands in the Resource Management Act (RMA).

I am not a climate change expert but have certainly seen the effects of climate change in my professional and private life. It is really worrying to see how little effective, practical action is being taken by many of the decision-makers in Aotearoa New Zealand.