You need to provide specific evidence to support your claim and to quantify the benefit, particularly when claiming economic benefits.
When to make a claim
You can make a claim where:
- a factor is relevant to the investment
- you can satisfy the key elements of the factor (the factors are broad and other types of benefits may fall within them, so you may be able to do this even if none of the specific examples of benefits arising under a factor apply)
- you are prepared to deliver that benefit (benefit claims are subject to conditions and post-consent monitoring), and
- the benefit is additional to the current state.
Only address the main benefits that are likely to flow from the investment. You are aiming to clearly demonstrate a benefit to New Zealand through meeting one or more of the benefit factors, not by meeting as many of the benefit factors as possible. Making unnecessary or frivolous claims is likely to increase the assessment timeframe.
How to structure a claim
Irrelevant factors
If a factor is not relevant, state ‘not relevant’ and briefly explain why. For example: ‘This factor is not relevant as the land does not contain any areas of vegetation or habitats of indigenous fauna, as is evidenced in the aerial photos provided in Appendix X’.
If you have identified a factor as not being relevant to the overseas investment, do not make long submissions about a vaguely related matter.
Relevant factors
In making a benefit claim:
- review the guidance for the factor and fully address each of the points in the 'Making a claim' section
- provide specific evidence to support your claim
- explain how the initiative or action will benefit New Zealand
- include relevant calculations, figures, timeframes and explanations
- include information about the size of the benefit, quantifying it where possible (particularly for the economic factor)
- use consistent figures for currency (such as NZ$ or US$) and quantities (such as kilos, tray carton equivalents, or litres)
- your evidence should demonstrate that a claimed benefit would likely exceed what would occur under the current state.
General advice on making benefit claims
Be concise and write in plain English. Use headings and tables where appropriate. Explain industry-specific terminology.
Be aware that vaguely worded claims are likely to result in a request for further information, or a conclusion that insufficient evidence has been provided to demonstrate a benefit.
Tell us if the plan or benefit is contingent on another event (for example, obtaining resource consent). Tell us when this event is likely to occur.
Be explicit. You can provide more detail with analysis and supporting evidence in a separate report. Attach it as an appendix to your application. Any reference to the report in your claim should be to the specific section of the report that evidences your claim. A report supports a benefit claim. It is not a substitute for a claim.
Be consistent. Ensure the information you provide is consistent across your application and the supporting documents you provide.
Identify, under each relevant benefit factor, an outline of the condition you are prepared to accept in relation to your claim. Include the timeframe for undertaking the action you claim you will make.
If a benefit falls under more than one factor, make the claim under the factor that is most relevant to the claimed benefit.
If you are claiming multiple benefits that overlap (for example, the introduction of technology and an associated increase in productivity), make this clear in your application. It will be taken into account when deciding what weight to give to those benefits.
Pre-application meeting
We are happy to meet with you and discuss your application. While we don’t review draft applications at these meetings, we do recommend you prepare an early draft version of your application and, if applicable, your investment plan prior to the meeting. This ensures you will be able to ask the right questions.