Environment & Planning

The Ministry for the Environment has released an exposure draft of the National Policy Statement for Indigenous Biodiversity (NPSIB). The draft NPSIB was amended following a public consultation process held between November 2019 and March 2020, during which over 7000 submissions were lodged. It provides national direction for maintaining and protecting indigenous biodiversity, and contains …

Exposure Draft – National Policy Statement for Indigenous Biodiversity Read More »

As of 21 December 2021, the Resource Management (Enabling Housing Supply and Other Matters) Amendment Act 2021 came into force amending the Resource Management Act 1991 (RMA) to set new medium density residential standards (MDRS) and make other amendments to the RMA that are set to change the future of housing development in New Zealand. …

Housing Intensification – The Solution to New Zealand’s Housing Crisis? Read More »

The Government is reviewing Aotearoa/New Zealand’s conservation laws and has released a roadmap setting out its work programme. The existing legal framework includes 24 (generally outdated) statutes, including the Wildlife Act, Reserves Act, Marine Mammals Protection Act, Marine Reserves Act, and Conservation Act. The reforms will be comprehensive and will involve reviewing the whole conservation …

Conservation laws are being reformed Read More »

While the management of New Zealand’s water has previously been the domain of 67 local councils, full-scale water reform by the Government is proposed to consolidate this into just four powerful entities. Central Government considers this is necessary to ensure all Kiwis have access to safe, reliable and affordable water – local authorities are not …

Three Waters – Big Changes Proposed for Water Management in NZ Read More »