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Whakatewhatewha me te whakawhiu Investigation and enforcement

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Our role in enforcement

The purpose of the Resource Management Act 1991 (RMA , the Act) is to promote the sustainable management of natural and physical resources.

Regulation, through the development and implementation of our regional plans and individual resource consents, is required to achieve this purpose, and enforcement of these regulations is essential to ensure the integrity of the purpose of the Act.

Credible, consistent and robust enforcement can only be achieved following thorough investigation into alleged or suspected breaches of regulations, rules or conditions. Within the boundaries of the Waikato region the responsibility for regulation, investigation and enforcement of certain aspects of the RMA falls to the Waikato Regional Council.

The specific group within the regional council responsible for this area of work is the Resource Use Directorate, and Resource Use staff shall consider enforcement action when any non-compliance with the RMA is detected.

Compliance and enforcement changes

From August 2023, new compliance and enforcement laws will apply under the Resource Management Act 1991 (RMA).

find out more about the changes

Report an activity

We will investigate any complaint that suggests an activity may be operating without resource consent or breaching its resource consent conditions. We will inspect the site, and may carry out tests or take samples.

If the complaint is justified, the offender will be charged for the travel, inspection and administration costs involved with our investigation. We will decide after this investigation whether enforcement action is required.

Please let us know about any activity that may affect our region's coastal, water, soil or air resources.

To report an environmental incident, like air or water pollution:

Read more about reporting pollution or environmental incidents, and to see what we can and can't respond to.

CME report card

Our annual performance report card gives communities across the Waikato an overview of the environmental compliance, monitoring and enforcement (CME) activities we carried out during the year.

If you'd like information about our activity during an earlier time period, please contact us online or call 0800 800 401.

Guidelines for enforcement officers

Enforcement Policy

The policy is to provides guidance to the Waikato Regional Council as to how our RMA enforcement obligations are carried out.

Basic investigative skills for local government

This manual provides council enforcement officers with generic investigative skills. It also supports the national compliance qualification project.