Mr Bishop was a keynote speaker at the NZ Planning Institute annual conference in Invercargill yesterday.
In his address at the Civic Theatre he outlined plans to address the national housing crisis and changes to an "obstructive" Resource Management Act.
He announced on Monday the RMA would be replaced by two new laws.
Standardised zones would be introduced as part of the reforms.
"Developers currently face a Gordian knot of rules," he said.
"Council are even getting involved with things as niche as whether it is possible for someone to see the TV from the likely location of their couch — or whether doors should face out for ‘privacy’ or in for ‘inclusion and community’."
Opposition spokeswoman for RMA reform Rachel Brooking and Act New Zealand’s Simon Court were also at the conference.
Mr Court said the RMA had caused "a playing field of skewed incentives for decision-makers which fostered a culture of "No" and a bias towards excessive caution.
"That has led to a culture of risk aversion and restriction."
It needed to "transform the culture of regulatory anxiety which drove a ‘No, but’ response to one that was ‘Yes’."
The present system rewarded planners for avoiding risk and not enabling growth, Mr Court said.
He believed standardised zones would be a "game-changer" for developers and would support housing growth.
Changes to the RMA would make it simpler and easier to supply the needed housing, he said.
Progressive changes would be implemented via three main processes: freeing up land and removing unnecessary planning barriers; improving infrastructure funding and financing to support growth; and providing incentives for communities and councils to support growth.
"Freeing up urban land is not enough on its own. We also need to ensure the timely provision of infrastructure."
Development contributions would be replaced with a development levy system.
Introducing immediate changes was not possible as it was linked to council annual plan and long-term plan processes, Mr Bishop said.
"Our aim is to have legislation in the House by September this year and come into effect next year."
Ms Brooking said she believed the reforms focused more on efficiencies and not the environment.
She was concerned an integrated management approach would separate environmental issues from the town planning aspect.
"That’s a very difficult thing to do when you think about issues like stormwater."’
She preferred the issue remained under one Act like the RMA.
"My other worry is this idea about everything may be based on private property rights and regulatory taking.
"We’ve had the minister say you shouldn’t have your land taken for no good reason. And environmental protections, I would say, are a good reason."
She was concerned property owners whose land decreased in value due to an environmental protection would want compensation.
"‘Who is going to be paying that compensation?"
By Toni McDonald
