BUDGET 2018: New watchdogs for election spending promises, RMA, and EQC disputes

BUDGET 2018: New watchdogs for election spending promises, RMA, and EQC disputes
Pattrick Smellie
By Pattrick Smellie May 17 (BusinessDesk) - The Budget creates three new government quangos to run the rule over political parties’ spending promises, keep tabs on local governments’ administration of the Resource Management Act, and a special tribunal to sort out Canterbury earthquake insurance disputes. Dubbed the “independent fiscal institution”, the new body to provide all political parties with non-partisan advice on costing their policies is a Green Party policy that was included as part of its confidence and supply agreement, allow...