Watching Brief - September 2025

Matter of Opinion

Tomorrow Comes the Song? 

In its almost two years holding the reins of power, the coalition Government has embarked on an ambitious agenda of legislative reform, promising to modernise critical regulatory frameworks and "unleash" economic potential. From replacement of the Resource Management Act 1991 (RMA) to implementation of Local Water Done Well (LWDW), sweeping revisions of the Public Works Act 1981 (PWA), modernisation of the overseas investment framework, and amendments to the building consent system, the rhetoric has been resolute: regulatory change will pave the way for prosperity in New Zealand.

The scale of legislative ambition has been impressive. The politically salient question is now being asked - when will it deliver the promised economic growth?

For example, central to the Government’s growth programme has been the overhaul of the RMA, long critiqued as cumbersome, bureaucratic and an impediment to development. The new framework, designed to streamline consenting and approval processes, was heralded as a catalyst for housing, infrastructure and investment.  

However, the devil is in the detail, and it is not clear that the detail is enabling development as quickly or efficiently as promised. For example, at the date of publication:

• Only one fast-track project under the Fast-track Approvals Act 2024 has been approved. The initial application was lodged on 7 February 2025 (which was returned) and re-lodged on 10 March 2025. Approval was granted on 21 August 2025, i.e. five months after the application was accepted.
• The two new pieces of legislation to replace the RMA have not yet been introduced.
• A change to National Direction under the RMA has been consulted on, including for infrastructure and urban development, but not yet implemented.

Meanwhile, the LWDW legislation has resulted in councils entering Game of Thrones-like machinations to forge the binding coalitions preferred by the Minister to deliver water services. However, it seems 27 councils are set to go it alone, either because they cannot find like-minded partners or because there is strong council or public appetite to retain local political control. Questions are now being asked as to whether this programme will deliver the cost efficiencies to ratepayers on which it was premised.

Changes to the PWA were enacted last week and should accelerate land acquisition for critical infrastructure projects derived from the Fast-track Approvals Act 2024 and Roads of National Significance. Combined with new legislation to implement changes to the building consent regime (expected to be introduced early 2026 and discussed further in In the news), the potential for more efficient development processes is clear. What is not clear, however, is that the New Zealand public will see the impact of these reforms felt anytime soon. The pressing question for government is will the promised benefits arrive in time to give National and its coalition partners any breathing space heading into the 2026 election period. 

All of this, of course, plays into the looming referendum question of the 2026 General Election on the Parliamentary term given one of the key arguments for a four-year term is around creating a political incentive for longer-term and strategic decision-making. 

In the News

Social Investment Fund opens for applications

The Government recently announced that the first rounds of the Social Investment Fund are now open for new investment applications and contract consolidation expressions of interest. Pathway One – New Investments is for investments in initiatives that focus on priority cohorts and meet specified social investment criteria. The first round of applications is now open for organisations that work with at least 250 children from the priority population groups, which are children whose parent(s) are currently or have recently been in prison, children of parent(s) who experienced the care system, and children that were stood down or suspended from school when they were 12 or younger. The Social Investment Agency has provided detailed information on its website regarding criteria for applications and the assessment framework. Applications for the first round of funding close on 23 September 2025, and the Government has indicated that future rounds (which will be announced in 2026) may focus on different priority cohorts. 

Expressions of interest for Pathway Two – Contract Consolidation are also now open. This pathway is aimed at organisations that currently hold contracts with one or more Government agencies and allows these existing contracts to be consolidated into one outcomes-based agreement administered by the Social Investment Fund. The purpose of this pathway is to ease the administrative and compliance burden on organisations, give them more flexibility in service delivery, and support shared learning with the Social Investment Agency. Information on criteria and the assessment framework for this pathway can be found here.

Additionally, the Social Investment Agency has provided some updated timing for the other funding pathways:

• Pathway Three – Community Commissioning: Applications under this pathway are anticipated to open in early 2026. This pathway involves decision-making authority for social service investment being devolved to local leaders, allowing communities to tailor solutions to their specific needs. The Government has not yet made decisions on how community commissioning will work in practice.
• Pathway Four – Co-investment: Applications under this pathway are anticipated to open in early 2026. This pathway is a mechanism to enable partnerships with philanthropic organisations or other funders to co-invest in initiatives that amplify collective impact and drive innovation. The Government has not yet made decisions on how co-investment will work in practice.  

End of Life Choice Amendment Bill announced

ACT MP Todd Stephenson recently re-lodged the End of Life Choice Amendment Bill (Bill) with the House of Representatives. This Member's Bill was originally lodged in September 2024, however it was redrafted and re-lodged following the Ministry of Health's official review of the End of Life Choice Act (Act). The review conducted by the Ministry is a legal requirement under the Act and was completed in November last year. 

The Bill adopts the review's 25 substantial recommendations and various minor recommended changes, which are organised into five areas:

• supporting access and safety;
• improving the process to receive assisted dying;
• aligning the Act with the wider health system;
• ensuring a capable and effective workforce for assisted dying; and
• clarifying organisational roles and responsibilities in the Act. 

In addition to giving effect to those recommendations, the Bill also proposes making two further amendments to:

• replace the requirement for a person to suffer from "a terminal illness that is likely to end the person's life within six months" with the requirement for a person to have "been diagnosed with a condition that, either on its own or in combination with one or more other diagnosed conditions, is advanced, progressive and expected to cause death"; and
• introduce a limited waiver of final consent provision that will be available if a person has capacity when making a request for assisted dying, is examined and found eligible by medical practitioners, and chooses the date and time for the assisted death, but loses capacity before the day of the assisted death. 

These additional amendments align with the approaches to assisted dying that are taken in Australia and Canada, and new evidence that has emerged since the Act was enacted in 2019. 

As the Bill is a Member's bill it will be introduced to the House of Representatives either once it is been drawn from the biscuit tin (the ballot for Members' bills), or it can skip the ballot process and be immediately introduced if 61 MPs who are not a Minister or Undersecretary support it.

Note: Russell McVeagh provided pro bono assistance to the End-of-Life Choice Society during the development of this Bill. 

Changes to the building consent system

The Government has recently announced significant reforms to the building consent system, with the aim of increasing productivity and efficiency within the building and construction sector. 

The key reforms include:

• Shifting from joint and several liability to proportionate liability: Under the existing framework, councils and ratepayers often pay for the entire cost of fixing defective building work, even if they are only partly responsible. The reforms will change this to proportionate liability - meaning each party will only pay for the part of the defect they are responsible for. If some companies or individuals involved in the faulty work cannot pay, councils will not be expected to bear that financial burden.
• Voluntary consideration of Building Consent Authorities (BCAs): The reforms would also allow BCAs to group together to deliver their building consent functions and services. To achieve this, the Government intends to amend the Building Act 2004 and associated regulations to make it easier for councils to share services or transfer their consenting functions to other BCAs. This is expected to advance the efficiency of the consenting system and allow for more consistent decision-making across New Zealand. 
• Supporting mechanisms for liability reform: The Government is also considering a range of supporting mechanisms to ensure building owners can protect their interests in the event of defective work. This may include requiring home warranties for certain building projects (with an option to opt out) and requiring professional indemnity insurance.  

A draft Bill covering these changes is expected to be introduced to Parliament in early 2026. 

Emergency management reform

As part of its response to the Government Inquiry into the Response to the North Island Severe Weather Events, the Government has announced its intention to pass a new Emergency Management Bill (Bill) during this term of Parliament. This Bill would replace the existing Civil Defence Emergency Act 2002.  

Cabinet has approved various policy decisions for the Bill, including the following:  

• clarify who is in control during emergencies (particularly when undeclared) and clarify accountabilities at the local level;
• improve how Civil Defence Emergency Management Group plans are developed and with whose input, given they drive change on the ground;
• provide for representation of iwi Māori, rural communities and the wider community on Coordinating Executive Groups;
• expand the tools available to improve assurance of the system – e.g. through rules or Compliance Orders; and
• expand the lifeline utilities/essential infrastructure providers that can be recognised under the legislation (e.g. certain digital services and solid waste).

The legislation will be supported by additional operational improvements as set out in the Strengthening Emergency Management Roadmap for Investment and Implementation (see here) which aims to:

• give effect to the whole-of-society approach to emergency management;
• support and enable local government to deliver a consistent minimum standard for emergency management across New Zealand;
• professionalise and build the capability and capacity of the emergency management workforce;
• enable the different parts of the system to work better together at the national level; and
• drive a strategic focus on investment and implementation.

Business Investor Visa Offers New Options for Investors

Following the successful introduction of the Active Investor Plus Visa, the Government's review of immigration settings continues, with the recent announcement of the Business Investor Visa (BIV).

The BIV is aimed at attracting experienced businesspeople to invest in and actively manage established businesses in New Zealand. This visa replaces the Entrepreneur Work Visa, which had relatively low uptake, and can lead to eligibility for the Business Investor Resident Visa.

The BIV offers two investment pathways:

• a NZ$1 million investment in an existing business, leading to a three-year work-to-residence pathway; or
• a NZ$2 million investment, offering a fast-tracked 12-month pathway to residence.

Applicants must either purchase a business outright or acquire at least 25% ownership of a business, while meeting other criteria including possessing relevant business experience and proof of NZ$500,000 in personal support funds. The visa also excludes investment in certain business types such as gambling, tobacco, fast food and home-based operations.

These changes are part of a broader immigration strategy to attracting investors with capital, skills and international networks. Applications for the BIV will open in November 2025.

Exemption to foreign buyer ban for Active Investor Plus visa holders

The Government has recently announced a targeted exemption to restrictions on overseas purchasers buying properties in New Zealand. It would allow holders of the Active Investor Plus visa to purchase or build one residential property in New Zealand, provided it is valued at NZ$5 million or more.

This exemption is part of a range of efforts by the Government aimed at attracting high-net-worth individuals to invest significantly in New Zealand's local economy. To qualify for the Active Investor Plus visa (and the exemption), investors must commit to investing either NZ$5 million over three years in higher-risk ventures (such as managed funds or direct investment in business) or NZ$10 million over five years in lower-risk investments (such as bonds, property developments, and other lower risk managed funds or direct investments). Visa holders are also required to spend a minimum of 21 days in New Zealand over the investment period.  

Even with the exemption, the ban on overseas purchasers will continue to apply in respect of:

• anyone who is not ordinarily resident in New Zealand (noting some other pre-existing exemptions for Australian and Singaporean citizens due to trade agreements);
• rural, farm, and sensitive land; and
• houses valued at less than NZ$5 million – the Government has estimated that the current exemption will apply to less than 1% of the housing market.

The Government has not yet announced when the exemption will take effect.  

In Trade

US tariff escalation and bilateral engagement

New Zealand’s trade relationship with the United States has come under renewed pressure following the US Government’s decision to increase tariffs on New Zealand exports from 10% to 15%, effective 7 August 2025. This move is part of a broader US strategy to adjust tariff rates based on trade imbalances, placing New Zealand alongside other major trading partners such as Japan and South Korea.

Minister for Trade and Investment, Todd McClay, has expressed concern over the decision, noting that New Zealand’s trade surplus with the US (approximately US$500 million) is modest and not overly significant in the context of the US economy. He emphasised that the long-standing bilateral relationship has historically been balanced and complementary, with periods of surplus on both sides.

On 22 August 2025, Minister McClay met with US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer and Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins in Washington to advocate for New Zealand exporters and raise concerns about the competitive disadvantage created by the recent tariff increase. The discussions also addressed product-specific investigations into steel, aluminium, pharmaceuticals and timber, as well as shared concerns over trade-distorting subsidies affecting the dairy sector.

In addition to the general tariff increase, sector-specific duties remain in place, including 25% on autos and auto parts, and 50% on steel, aluminium and copper. The US has also suspended duty-free treatment for low-value shipments under US$800, with new charges applying from 29 August 2025. These changes are expected to impact a wide range of New Zealand exporters, particularly those operating in high-volume, low-margin sectors.

Both sides agreed to continue dialogue at upcoming regional forums, including the ASEAN Trade Ministers’ Meeting in Malaysia and the APEC Leaders’ Summit in Korea. Minister McClay reaffirmed New Zealand’s commitment to open, rules-based trade and signalled ongoing efforts to seek a resolution that supports exporters and maintains the strength of the bilateral relationship.

CPTPP dairy dispute resolution with Canada

New Zealand has announced a resolution with Canada over a long-standing dairy access dispute under the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP). According to Trade and Investment Minister Todd McClay, the agreement could deliver up to NZ$157 million annually in export value for New Zealand dairy producers.

The dispute, initiated by New Zealand in 2022, centred on Canada’s administration of dairy quotas, which New Zealand argued did not meet CPTPP obligations. A dispute panel ruled in New Zealand’s favour, but Canada did not fully implement the panel’s findings, prompting New Zealand to signal potential retaliatory tariffs in 2024.

Under the new arrangement, Canada has committed to changes in how it administers CPTPP dairy quotas. These include:

• improved access to quotas for New Zealand exporters;
• reallocation of underused quotas; and
• penalties for importers who misuse quota allocations.

Minister McClay described the outcome as a positive step for New Zealand exporters and reiterated the importance of upholding CPTPP commitments. He also acknowledged Canada’s engagement in reaching the resolution.

In the House

The House of Representatives is adjourned until Tuesday 9 September. In that week, the House will have the Estimates Debate and the third reading of the Appropriation Bill.  

There will be extended sitting hours on the morning of Thursday 11 September for the first reading of the Kororipo Pā Vesting Bill and other Government business.

Progress of Legislation

Bills Introduced

Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Financing of Terrorism (Supervisor, Levy, and Other Matters) Amendment Bill
Type of Bill: Government 
Member in charge: Hon Nicole McKee

This Bill proposes amendments to the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) Act 2009, including:

• introducing a single AML/CFT supervisor in place of the three current supervisors;
• making changes to the functions and powers of the AML/CFT supervisor, including new functions relating to engaging with reporting entities, the Ministry of Justice and the Commissioner, and domestic and international agencies;
• providing that standard customer due diligence does not require verifying a person’s address or registered office details;
• allowing suspicious activity reports to be made by persons trading in listed articles including jewellery, gold, precious stones and motor vehicles;
• empowering the chief executive of the AML/CFT supervisor to make rules and codes of practice directly following consultation with affected persons;
• requiring the Government to adopt a national strategy for AML/CFT;
• requiring all reporting entities to pay a levy to the Crown and empowering the Governor-General to make levy regulations for that purpose; and
• empowering the chief executive of the Ministry of Justice to exempt reporting entities or transactions from AML/CFT Act requirements.

Antisocial Road Use Legislation Amendment Bill
Type of Bill: Government 
Member in charge: Hon Chris Bishop

This Bill aims to give the Police and the courts greater powers to deter antisocial driving behaviour that impacts road and community safety. The Bill would make a number of amendments to the Land Transport Act 1998, including:

• introducing a new offence for frightening or intimidating convoy driving involving specified dangerous or reckless traffic offences;
• amending the impoundment period for failure to stop offences to 28 days;
• extending vehicle seizure and impoundment powers to cover the expanded failure to provide information offence; and
• empowering Police to temporarily restrict access to areas on antisocial road use grounds.

Anzac Day Amendment Bill
Type of Bill: Government 
Member in charge: Hon Paul Goldsmith

This Bill would amend the Anzac Day Act 1966 to broaden the scope of recognition for service to New Zealand in times of war or warlike conflict. The amendments extend the definition of "conflict" to include future and non-traditional warlike engagements which will cover nearly all operational service deployments involving the New Zealand Defence Force and recognise individuals who have served New Zealand in such conflicts. 

Appropriation (2025/26 Estimates) Bill
Type of Bill: Government 
Member in charge: Hon Nicola Willis

This Bill would give parliamentary authorisation of the individual appropriations (expenses incurred and capital expenditure) and capital injections for the 2025/26 financial year, as set out in schedules to the Bill and Budget 2025 documentation. 

Building and Construction (Small Stand-alone Dwellings) Amendment Bill
Type of Bill: Government 
Member in charge: Hon Chris Penk

This Bill proposes amendments to the Building Act 2004 to enable the construction of small stand-alone dwellings (commonly referred to as "granny flats") without requiring a building consent, subject to specified conditions. Key amendments include:

• exempting single storey stand-alone dwellings of up to 70 square metres from the requirement to obtain a building consent, provided they meet prescribed criteria including simple design specifications, compliance with the Building Code and that building work is carried out by authorised professionals; and
• requiring owners to notify the relevant territorial authority of their intention to build a granny flat by applying for a project information memorandum (PIM) and provide relevant records, certificates and plans once the building work is complete, and setting out the role of territorial authorities in issuing PIMs including criteria it must advise on, such as the elements of the proposed building work that are likely or unlikely to meet the conditions of the exemption.

Carter Trust Amendment Bill
Type of Bill: Private
Member in charge: Mike Butterick

This Private Bill would amend the Carter Trust Act 1961 to enable the winding up of the Carter Trust (which was established under the will of the late Charles Rooking Carter), limit the liability of Public Trust and enable it to make distributions as executor of the will, and enable the Carter Society Incorporated to amend its rules without Ministerial approval.

Climate Change Response (Emissions Trading Scheme—Forestry Conversion) Amendment Bill
Type of Bill: Government 
Member in charge: Hon Todd McClay

This Bill would amend the Climate Change Response Act 2002 to restrict whole-farm conversions to exotic forestry registering in the New Zealand emissions trading scheme (ETS) and preserve productive farmland for agricultural use. The amendments would limit the registration of exotic forestry on high- to medium-versatility farmland to a maximum of 25% and introduce an annual ballot to permit the registration of additional land as exotic forestry with a national limit of 15,000 hectares.  

Various exemptions to the restrictions would apply, including for unfarmed land, areas without national-scale land use capability mapping, various categories of Māori-owned land, land with a high or severe erosion risk that should be retired from farming to prevent further erosion, and temporary transitional exemptions for exotic forestry conversions that began before the policy change announcement. The Bill would not apply any restrictions to registering exotic forestry on less versatile farmland or registering new indigenous forestry in the ETS.  

Constitution Amendment Bill
Type of Bill: Government 
Member in charge: Hon Paul Goldsmith

This Bill would make amendments to the Constitution Act 1986 aimed at strengthening continuity of executive government during the post-election transition period. Primarily, the Bill would replace the "28-day rule" (by which Ministers may remain in office for 28 days after ceasing to be an MP) with a new rule by which Ministers remain in office until election processes have ended and new MPs are appointed. This would address the situation in which a delay to the return of the writ following a general election could leave the Governor-General briefly without advisors.  

Credit Contracts and Consumer Finance Amendment Bill
Type of Bill: Government 
Member in charge: Hon Scott Simpson

This Bill is part of a financial services reform package that amends financial services regulation. Its proposals include:

• making the Financial Markets Authority the responsible regulator for credit contracts and consumer finance;
• aligning the Credit Contracts and Consumer Finance Act 2003 (CCCFA) with other financial markets legislation, including by transitioning creditors and mobile traders from a certification to a licensing regime (noting that those that are already certified or exempt will be treated as holding a licence);
• removing features of the CCCFA that are unnecessary or do not fit well with the new regulatory approach, including the due diligence duty for directors and senior managers;
• changing the consequences of a creditor, lessor or transferee failing to make required initial or agreed variation disclosures, reversing the current default position to provide that the debtor remains liable for the costs of borrowing, the lease or the transaction (as the case may be). However, the Bill empowers the court to make an order for redress to the debtor based on cost of borrowing returns if, after establishing harm, it determines that other remedies available under the CCCFA are insufficient to provide a just and equitable outcome; and
• granting retrospective effect to provisions that grant the court discretion to vary or extinguish liability for disclosure failures if it considers it “just and equitable” to do so. This change would also apply to active litigation.

Crown Minerals (Prohibition on Coal Mining) Amendment Bill
Type of Bill: Member's
Member in charge: Hon Julie Anne Genter

This Bill would amend the Crown Minerals Act 1991 to prohibit new coal mines and the expansion of existing coal mines. The amendments would prevent applications for, and the granting of, coal-related prospecting, exploration and mining permits. The Bill also would apply transitional provisions to ensure existing permits remain valid but new applications are subject to the amended Act.

Defence (Workforce) Amendment Bill
Type of Bill: Government 
Member in charge: Hon Judith Collins

This Bill proposes amendments to the Defence Act 1990 to update the framework for authorising the Armed Forces to carry out the work of civilian staff and public service employees during industrial action. Key changes include:

• establishing a process for the Minister of Defence to authorise the Armed Forces to perform the work of New Zealand Defence Force Civil Staff engaged in industrial action, where there are reasonable grounds to believe that this is necessary to protect national security, operational ability and/or readiness, or health and safety; and
• extending the maximum duration of authorisations for Armed Forces to perform the work of public service employees from 14 to 30 days, and to provide for an automatic extension if the House of Representatives is adjourned when an authorisation lapses.

Education and Training Amendment Bill (No 2)
Type of Bill: Government 
Member in charge: Hon Erica Stanford

This Bill would make amendments to the Education and Training Act 2020, including:

• amending the objectives of school boards to include a paramount objective of educational achievement, with supporting objectives comprising both current objectives and new objectives including to take all reasonable steps to ensure students attend school;
• removing the ability for the Minister of Education to issue statements of national educational and learning priorities;
• requiring schools to have attendance management plans;
• imposing a duty on universities to protect academic freedom and expression by developing statements and reporting on freedom of expression;
• imposing new requirements on the Teaching Council to consult the Minister of Education and Secretary for Education on various matters regarding teacher qualifications and registration; and
• extending the school strike notification period from three days to not less than seven days.

Education and Training (Early Childhood Education Reform) Amendment Bill
Type of Bill: Government 
Member in charge: Hon David Seymour

This Bill would amend the Education and Training Act 2020, with key amendments including:

• clarifying the purpose and objectives of early childhood education regulation, including supporting parental labour market participation, accessibility and choice, and improving children's health, safety and developmental outcomes;
• establishing a statutory Director of Regulation with independent regulatory functions, including licensing, compliance monitoring and enforcement, and requiring the role to be appointed by the Secretary for Education; and
• clarifying responsibilities in relation to setting licensing criteria for the Secretary for Education and Director of Regulation.

Education and Training (Vocational Education and Training System) Amendment Bill
Type of Bill: Government 
Member in charge: Hon Penny Simmonds

This Bill proposes to amend the Education and Training Act 2020 to redesign the vocational education and training system by:

• disestablishing Te Pūkenga - New Zealand Institute of Skills and Technology and re-establishing regional polytechnics;
• providing a framework to enable the creation of new polytechnics and a polytechnic Federation Committee;
• creating industry skills boards to replace workforce development councils; and
• providing arrangements to transition to the new system.

Electoral Amendment Bill
Type of Bill: Government 
Member in charge: Hon Paul Goldsmith

This Bill proposes to amend the Electoral Act 1993 ahead of the 2026 general election. The key amendments would:

• amend enrolment processes including closing enrolment 13 days before polling day, removing the requirement for postal enrolment, and allowing registration of 17-year-olds who will turn 18 before polling day;
• enable special vote validation and qualification to begin before election day;
• streamline candidate nomination processes, including creating a single nomination deadline, removing public inspection requirements and centralising nomination processes;
• update political finance rules by exempting parties with election expenses under $50,000 from audit, raising the donation disclosure threshold and extending reporting timeframes for large donations;
• clarify voter eligibility by replacing “permanent resident” with “resident for electoral purposes”;
• disqualify all convicted and sentenced prisoners from enrolling and voting while in prison and allow persons who are detained in hospitals or secure facilities to enrol and vote;
• expand electoral offences of bribery, treating and undue influence and prohibit free food or entertainment near voting places; and
• make additional changes to the electoral system including an extended advance voting period, a seven-member Electoral Commission board and greater flexibility in promoter statement contact information requirements.

Employment Relations Amendment Bill
Type of Bill: Government 
Member in charge: Hon Brooke van Velden

This Bill proposes changes to the personal grievance framework and contracting arrangements under the Employment Relations Act 2000. Key amendments include:

• clarifying the definition of employee to exclude a "specified contractor" from the test of employment, and introducing a gateway test to determine whether a worker is an employee or contractor;
• introducing a $180,000 salary threshold for personal grievances relating to unjustified dismissal (but not to other personal grievance grounds);
• reducing available remedies for personal grievances where the actions of the employee contributed towards the situation that gave rise to the personal grievance; and
• removing the “30-day rule”, allowing new employees to immediately be covered by individual employment agreements rather than defaulting to collective terms.

See our Insights article here for more information on this Bill.

Financial Markets Conduct Amendment Bill
Type of Bill: Government 
Member in charge: Hon Scott Simpson

This Bill is part of a financial services reform package amends financial services regulation. Its proposals include:

• amending the minimum requirements for fair conduct programmes;
• requiring the Financial Markets Authority to issue a single licence covering different classes of market service;
• introducing change in control approval provisions that require firms holding a licence under the principal Act, or authorised bodies, to obtain regulatory approval from the Financial Markets Authority before certain changes in firms take effect. These changes would include where another person obtains significant influence, significant transactions (asset sales) of a material part of the business, and amalgamations;
• introducing on-site inspection powers for the Financial Markets Authority to, without notice, enter and remain at a place of business of a financial markets participant for compliance monitoring purposes; and
• various technical amendments.

Financial Markets (International Money Transfers) Amendment Bill
Type of Bill: Member's
Member in charge: Arena Williams

This Bill would amend the Financial Markets Conduct Act 2013 to require greater transparency for fees charged on international money transfer services by:

• requiring fair conduct programmes to include effective policies, processes, systems and controls to ensure disclosure of international money transfer fees; and
• enabling regulations to be made prescribing disclosure requirements for fees and charges for international money transfer services, including how information must be displayed.

Financial Service Providers (Registration and Dispute Resolution) Amendment Bill
Type of Bill: Government 
Member in charge: Hon Scott Simpson

This Bill is part of a financial services reform package that aims to simplify and streamline financial services regulation. Its proposals include:

• giving the responsible Minister a power to require an independent review of approved dispute resolution schemes; and
• allowing regulations to prescribe requirements for the membership of the board or other governing body of a person responsible for an approved dispute resolution scheme.

Game Animal Council (Herds of Special Interest) Amendment Bill
Type of Bill: Government 
Member in charge: Hon James Meager

This Bill would amend the Game Animal Council Act 2013 to ensure that legislative requirements to exterminate introduced species in national parks do not apply to designated herds of special interest. Herds of special interests refer to herds of game animals on public conservation land that have been formally designated by the Minister for Hunting and Fishing to be managed for hunting purposes.

Healthy Futures (Pae Ora) Amendment Bill
Type of Bill: Government 
Member in charge: Hon Simeon Brown

This Bill seeks to amend the Pae Ora (Healthy Futures) Act 2022 to make changes to the purpose and functions of Health New Zealand (HNZ) as part of the Government's Health Delivery Plan. Key proposals in the Bill include:

• changing the name of the Act from Pae Ora (Healthy Futures) Act 2022 to Healthy Futures (Pae Ora) Act 2022;
• amending the purpose of the Act to include ensuring patients get timely access to quality health services;
• repealing the health sector principles and the New Zealand Health Charter;
• amending HNZ's objectives and functions to include delivering effective and timely services, collaborating with private healthcare providers and providing and planning for quality, cost-effective and financially sustainable infrastructure;
• amending strategic direction setting, planning and monitoring arrangements including requiring specific targets in Government Policy Statement on Health and for health strategies to give effect to those targets; and
• giving the Hauora Māori Advisory Committee a statutory purpose and clarifying the role of iwi-Māori partnership boards in delivering health services.

Immigration (Fiscal Sustainability and System Integrity) Amendment Bill
Type of Bill: Government 
Member in charge: Hon Erica Stanford

This Bill would amend the Immigration Act 2009, with key amendments including:

• extending immigration levies to a wider range of immigration system users and beneficiaries;
• charging specified groups for costs outside the immigration system where there is a justifiable linkage with immigration, subject to consultation and enhanced annual reporting requirements;
• redefining “mass arrival group” to include groups arriving on a scheduled international service;
• providing flexible ministerial powers to make class-related special directions in response to specified immigration circumstances and absolute discretion to grant any type of visa;
• enabling the Minister of Immigration to cancel a person's residence class visa if they constitute a security risk but cannot be deported, which would enable the person's protection but remove certain rights including voting, purchasing a home and sponsoring a friend or family member to come to New Zealand; and
• introducing a new offence prohibiting employment-related persons from knowingly requesting or accepting premiums for the employment or potential employment of unlawful workers and temporary or potential visa holders.

Judicature (Timeliness) Legislation Amendment Bill
Type of Bill: Government 
Member in charge: Hon Paul Goldsmith

This omnibus Bill would amend legislation administered by the Ministry of Justice to improve timeliness in New Zealand’s courts. Key proposals include:

• increasing the statutory cap on High Court Judges from 55 to 57;
• enabling abusive civil proceedings to be struck out by a single judge and imposing automatic restraints on repeat vexatious litigants;
• enabling pre-trial processes for a defendant facing multiple charges in the District Court to occur in one District Court office and allowing certain appeals from the District Court to be determined in the High Court;
• allowing coroners to close inquiries where appropriate, subject to safeguards; and
• revoking and updating certain rules in the High Court Rules 2016 to align with new judicial powers.

Land Transport (Clean Vehicle Standard) Amendment Bill (No 2)
Type of Bill: Government 
Member in charge: Hon Chris Bishop

This Bill makes amendments to the Land Transport Act 1998 and related regulations to adjust the operation of the Clean Vehicle Standard. Key amendments proposed include:

• extending the expiry period for carbon dioxide (CO₂) emission credits for light vehicle importers from three years to four years;
• removing the restriction on CO₂ emission credit transfers between new and used vehicle importers, but requiring a 2:1 transfer ratio;
• removing the restriction that currently provides that fleet target obligations may only be deferred in the 2023–2025 compliance years;
• repealing the provision relating to fixed CO₂ targets; and
• clarifying that targets need not be weight-adjusted.

Legal Services (Distribution of Special Fund) Amendment Bill
Type of Bill: Government 
Member in charge: Hon Paul Goldsmith

This Bill would amend the Legal Services Act 2011 to broaden the use of the Lawyers and Conveyancers' Special Fund (Special Fund). Currently, the Secretary of Justice (Secretary) is permitted to enter contracts with community law centres to purchase community legal services using the Special Fund. The Bill would extend the scope of this provision to enable the Secretary to enter contracts to also fund, facilitate or otherwise support the provision of community legal services by community law centres.  

Legislation Amendment Bill
Type of Bill: Government 
Member in charge: Hon Judith Collins

The Legislation Amendment Bill is an omnibus bill that proposes amendments to the Legislation Act 2019 and related legislation with an aim to promote higher quality, accessible legislation. Key amendments include:

• providing for the New Zealand Legislation website as the single point of access to legislation and related information, including secondary legislation;
• requiring relevant administering agencies to electronically publish agency-drafted secondary legislation and related information on its own website or another approved website;
• providing rules, powers, functions and duties for the Parliamentary Counsel Office including to record the administering agency for legislation on the legislation website and to authorise agencies to publish official consolidations and make editorial changes to the legislation they publish;
• providing for the Attorney-General to issue directions to administering agencies, set standards or other requirements, require consultation with affected agencies, and be published and tabled in the House; and
• amending other legislation to promote consistency with new publication requirements, including removing bespoke publication requirements and ensuring instruments that have legislative effect are appropriately identifying as secondary legislation.

Life Jackets for Children and Young Persons Bill
Type of Bill: Member's
Member in charge: Cameron Brewer

The existing law around the wearing of life jackets largely leaves it up to the discretion of the skipper and others on board. This Bill would amend the Maritime Rules (made under the Maritime Transport Act 1994) to require that recreational craft of six metres or less cannot be used unless every person on board under the age of 15 years wears a life jacket.  

Local Government (Port Companies Accountability) Amendment Bill
Type of Bill: Member's
Member in charge: Lemauga Lydia Sosene

This Bill seeks to increase public accountability and transparency obligations on port companies. Currently port companies are excluded from requirements under the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987 (LGOIMA) that apply to council-controlled organisations (CCOs). This Bill would treat port companies as if they were CCOs for select purposes under the Local Government Act 2002, meaning port companies would be:

• subject to public information disclosure requirements under LGOIMA;
• required to act as a good employer and to exhibit a sense of social and environmental responsibility by having regard to the interests of the community in which they operate; and
• subject to the obligation to take into account the relationship between Māori and their culture and traditions with land and water when making decisions that significantly alter land or a body of water.

Local Government (System Improvements) Amendment Bill
Type of Bill: Government 
Member in charge: Hon Simon Watts

This Bill would amend the Local Government Act 2002 (LGA), with key proposals including:

• refocusing the purpose of local government on cost-effective infrastructure and public services and removing references to community well-being;
• reinstating the core services that local authorities must have particular regard to in performing their role, which are network infrastructure, public transport services, waste management, civil defence emergency management, libraries, museums, reserves and other recreational facilities;
• transferring the requirement for councils to plan and report on specific activity groups from the LGA into regulations, requiring reporting on contractor and consultant expenditure, expanding regulation-making powers for setting benchmarks and making the issuing of rules for performance measures discretionary;
• requiring local authorities to have particular regard to the purpose of local government and the core services of a local authority when determining their financial management approach;
• empowering the Secretary of Local Government to issue a binding code of conduct and standing orders to councils; and
• requiring the facilitation of information sharing between councils and elected members.

Medicines Amendment Bill
Type of Bill: Government 
Member in charge: Hon David Seymour

This Bill would amend the Medicines Act 1981 to improve access to medicines by introducing a new pathway for approval and updating exemptions. The amendments, including those recommended by the Health Committee, would:

• introduce a new "consent by verification" pathway that would allow the Minister of Health to approve new medicines based on approval by two recognised overseas regulators;
• extend the ability to prescribe unapproved medicines to nurse practitioners and pharmacist prescribers;
• adjust the particulars required in applications for consent to distribute medicines;
• provide an exemption from consent requirements for new medicines listed by Pharmac as alternatives to consented medicines, where the listing is due to supply shortages of the consented medicine, and set out reporting requirements for exempted medicines; and
• protect confidential information submitted with consent by verification applications.

Military Decorations and Distinctive Badges (Modernisation) Amendment Bill
Type of Bill: Member's
Member in charge: Tim van de Molen

This Bill proposes to amend the Military Decorations and Distinctive Badges Act 1918 to modernise language and strengthen penalties, including modernising language to remove gendered language and references to pounds as the penalty currency and increasing the financial penalty for offences under the Act to $10,000. 

New Zealand Infrastructure Commission/Te Waihanga Amendment Bill
Type of Bill: Government 
Member in charge: Hon Chris Bishop

This Bill proposes changes to the role and responsibility of the New Zealand Infrastructure Commission/Te Waihanga (Commission) so it takes on more of an advisory role rather than providing support, by:

• removing the Commission's function of providing support services to current and proposed infrastructure projects, as this function has been transferred to other Crown infrastructure entities; and
• adding a function of providing advice on current and proposed infrastructure projects

Ngāti Hāua Claims Settlement Bill
Type of Bill: Government 
Member in charge: Hon Paul Goldsmith

This Bill would give effect to elements of Te Pua o Te Riri Kore, the deed of settlement between the Crown and Ngāti Hāua. The Bill proposes legislative redress measures including settlement of historical claims and removal of related legal jurisdiction; and cultural redress including protocols for Crown minerals and taonga tūturu, a statutory acknowledgement and deed of recognition, overlay classification (Te Tuanui), geographic name changes, vesting of cultural redress properties, provisions for cultural materials, recognition of mineral associations, establishment of a joint management committee, interim Conservation Board membership, Nohoanga entitlements, and placement of pou whenua. 

The Bill also includes seven schedules detailing statutory areas, cultural redress properties, and procedural matters.

Online Casino Gambling Bill
Type of Bill: Government 
Member in charge: Hon Brooke van Velden

This Bill would introduce a regulatory regime for online casino gambling in New Zealand. Online casino gambling operators (including those based offshore) would be prohibited from operating or advertising in New Zealand without a licence from 1 July 2026. However, operators that apply for a licence before this date would be allowed to continue operating until the earlier of, the date of determination of their application or 31 December 2026. 

The Bill would allow up to 15 licences to be issued initially through a three-stage application process, which would be granted for up to three years with a right of renewal for up to five years and permit restricted advertising. Once licenced, online casino gambling operators would be subject to a variety of obligations, including duties to take all reasonable steps to ensure that users of their online platform are at least 18 years old, to minimise the risk of harm from gambling, and to exclude identified problem gamblers from participating. The Bill also provides a complaints framework and compliance, enforcement and regulation-making powers.

For more information on the Bill, see our Insight here.  

Overseas Investment (National Interest Test and Other Matters) Amendment Bill
Type of Bill: Government 
Member in charge: Hon David Seymour

The Bill seeks to amend the overseas investment approval process. Key proposed changes include:

• introducing a new purpose statement that recognises the role of overseas investment in increasing economic opportunity and enabling timely consent for less sensitive investments;
• replacing the national interest, benefit to New Zealand, and investor tests with a single three-stage national interest test for most overseas investments including significant business assets, existing plantation forestry and other types of sensitive land (farmland, fishing quota, and residential land remain subject to existing screening rules). The new test would allow consent for lower risk transactions to be granted at earlier stages while enabling greater Ministerial discretion on whether or not to decline consent where the transaction is deemed contrary to the national interest;
• introducing a repeat investor pathway for repeat investors whose circumstances have not changed, enabling faster consents for lower risk transactions; and
• removing the requirement for consent to increase ownership or control from 75% to 100%, unless the investment involves a strategically important business.

For more information see our previous Insight on the Bill.

Patents Amendment Bill
Type of Bill: Government 
Member in charge: Hon Scott Simpson

This Bill would align the lower examination criteria to divisional applications filed under the Patents Act 1953 with the stricter criteria under the Patents Act 2013, by:

• requiring the Commissioner of Patents to be satisfied on the balance of probabilities that the application complies with the novelty, inventive step and support requirements of the Patents Act 2013; and
• aligning opposition, revocation and re-examination procedures with the Patents Act 2013.

Plain Language Act Repeal Bill
Type of Bill: Government 
Member in charge: Hon Judith Collins

This Bill proposes the repeal of the Plain Language Act 2022, which would eliminate statutory obligations for public service agencies to use plain language in official documents, appoint plain language officers and report on compliance.

Public Finance Amendment Bill
Type of Bill: Government 
Member in charge: Hon Nicola Willis

The Bill proposes changes to the Public Finance Act 1989 including:

• changes to fiscal transparency requirements including:
  • inserting new disclosure requirements for the statement of specific fiscal risks including estimated fiscal impacts and categorisation of risks;
  • requiring publication of a tax expenditure statement with descriptions and, where feasible, quantification of tax expenditures;
  • enabling the Government to use alternative fiscal variables in the fiscal strategy, subject to explanation of consistency with responsible fiscal management principles and how they relate to existing variables; and
  • extending the minimum forecasting period for economic and fiscal forecasts so they must relate to the current year and the following four years (rather than the current year and the following two years);
• repealing the requirement to include wellbeing objectives in the Budget Policy Statement and Fiscal Strategy Report and the requirement for the Treasury to prepare a wellbeing report; and
• extending the exemption period for a half-year economic and fiscal update in an election year, amending the publication window for the pre-election economic and fiscal update and making minor and technical amendments to clarify interpretation and update references.

Public Service Amendment Bill
Type of Bill: Government 
Member in charge: Hon Judith Collins

This Bill proposes changes to the Public Service Act 2020 to modify the role of the public service, update chief executive responsibilities, and adjust governance and employment arrangements. Key amendments include:

• refocusing the purpose of the public service by placing greater emphasis on responsiveness to the Government of the day, and removing references to enabling policies of successive governments, pursuing the long-term public interest and facilitating active citizenship;
• inserting new principal responsibilities for chief executives, including the responsibility for implementing Ministers’ lawful instructions, financial stewardship, regulatory performance, and cross-agency inter-operability, co-ordination and collaboration;
• requiring the Public Service Commissioner to set minimum standards of integrity and conduct and expanding the scope of guidance to encompass a broader range of agencies;
• removing provisions relating to gender pay equity, a diverse workforce that reflects the makeup of society, an inclusive workplace and fair and equitable employment; and
• requiring notification and reporting of misconduct investigations.

Regulatory Standards Bill
Type of Bill: Government 
Member in charge: Hon David Seymour

The Bill would introduce a framework to set standards for legislation and strengthen regulatory stewardship by the Executive. Key features of the Bill include:

• establishing a set of “principles of responsible regulation” that reflect the Government’s expectations for good legislation, broadly covering the rule of law, liberties, taking of property, taxes, fees and levies, the role of courts and good law-making, including consultation, options analysis and cost-benefit analysis;
• requiring consistency accountability statements that assess legislation against the principles and explain reasons for any inconsistencies;
• creating a Regulatory Standards Board to independently review the consistency of proposed and existing legislation with the principles, including in response to complaints, and make non-binding recommendations;
• requiring responsible agencies to develop plans for regularly reviewing their legislation for consistency with the principles and to publish progress reports; and
• supporting the Ministry for Regulation in overseeing regulatory quality.

For more information see our previous Insight on the Bill.

Regulatory Systems (Internal Affairs) Amendment Bill
Type of Bill: Government 
Member in charge: Hon Brooke van Velden

This omnibus Bill would amend Acts administered or operationalised by the Department of Internal Affairs to remove transitional and redundant provisions, correct legislative references, and make administrative amendments to regulatory systems. Its proposals include:

• amending the Charities Act 2005 to broaden access to the register, repeal privacy-related search restrictions and require online publication of procedural information by the Taxation and Charities Review Authority; and
• amending the Electronic Identity Verification Act 2012 to clarify suspension grounds for applications and expand the definition of participating agencies.

Regulatory Systems (Transport) Amendment Bill
Type of Bill: Government 
Member in charge: Hon James Meager

This omnibus Bill would amend land transport, maritime and aviation legislation, including to:

• provide broader powers to the New Zealand Transport Agency and the Director of Land Transport, including for emergency response and road closures;
• enable digital alternatives to physical licences, labels and notices, including digital driver licences and electronic infringement notices;
• expand investigation powers and update penalty regimes across transport modes; and
• address regulatory duplication, gaps and inconsistencies, including in rule-making, levy collection and definitions.

Residential Tenancies (Registration of Boarding House Landlords) Amendment Bill
Type of Bill: Member's
Member in charge: Hon Jenny Salesa

This Bill would amend the Residential Tenancies Act 1986 to establish a registration regime for boarding house landlords, requiring annual registration of landlords unless disqualified (e.g. due to certain convictions), and empowering a Registrar to assess and determine applications and maintain a public register. It would also impose record-keeping obligations on landlords, enable information requests by the chief executive of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, and introduce offences and infringement penalties for non-compliance, including unregistered operation and provision of false information.

Sale and Supply of Alcohol (Restrictions on Issue of Off-Licences and Low and No Alcohol Products) Amendment Bill
Type of Bill: Member's
Member in charge: Mike Butterick

This Bill proposes amendments to the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012 to allow premises containing both a shop and a restaurant to hold an on-licence for the restaurant and an off-licence for the shop. It would also amend the on-license requirements to account for the growing market of low or no alcohol beverages by requiring on-licence and club licence premises to offer low or no alcohol beer, wine or spirits, defined by ethanol content threshold. Additionally, the Bill would clarify that such low or no alcohol products do not satisfy the requirement to offer non-alcoholic drinks.

Secondary Legislation Confirmation Bill (No 3)
Type of Bill: Government 
Member in charge: Hon Chris Bishop

This Bill would confirm secondary legislation made between 1 July 2024 and 30 June 2025 that would otherwise be revoked or deemed invalid under the Legislation Act 2019 if not confirmed by Parliament.

Summary Offences (Demonstrations Near Residential Premises) Amendment Bill
Type of Bill: Government 
Member in charge: Hon Paul Goldsmith

This Bill would amend the Summary Offences Act 1981 to create a new offence for persons engaging in unreasonably disruptive demonstrations near residential premises that are targeted at the premises' occupants. The aim of this new offence is to discourage impingements on the privacy and quiet enjoyment of the home of individuals such as elected officials, and their families and neighbours. 

Taxation (Annual Rates for 2025–26, Compliance Simplification, and Remedial Measures) Bill
Type of Bill: Government 
Member in charge: Hon Simon Watts

This Bill proposes amendments across multiple statutes to set annual income tax rates, with key proposals including:

• setting the annual rates of income tax for the 2025–26 tax year;
• allowing non-resident visitors to remain in New Zealand for up to 275 days within an 18-month period without being deemed tax residents, provided they are lawfully in New Zealand, do not perform work for a New Zealand-based employer or client, and are a tax resident in another country. They would remain subject to non-resident tax liability for New Zealand-sourced income, except for exempt income from remote work performed for overseas employers or clients;
• introducing a new revenue account method for calculating foreign investment fund income, which would be on a realisation basis (i.e. on dividends derived and 70% of gains or losses);
• permitting joint venture members to individually account for GST on supplies made or received in connection with the venture under their respective GST registrations, rather than requiring separate registration of the joint venture entity;
• allowing unlisted companies to elect to defer the tax liability for employees who receive shares or share options under an employee share scheme until the occurrence of a "liquidity event", such as the sale or cancellation of the shares, payment of a dividend in respect of the shares, or listing of the company; and
• allowing the Commissioner of Inland Revenue to share information with other government agencies in prescribed situations.

For more information see our previous Insight on the Bill.

Te Pire Whakahoki i a Kororipo Pā/Kororipo Pā Vesting Bill
Type of Bill: Government 
Member in charge: Hon Paul Goldsmith

This Bill would give effect to a deed entered between the Crown and the Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Rēhia Trust (Trust) to vest the Kororipo Pa Historic Reserve (Kororipo Pā) in the Trust. The Kororipo Pā is currently owned by the Crown and the transfer is being made ahead of a future comprehensive treaty settlement with Ngāpuhi. 

Valuers Bill
Type of Bill: Government 
Member in charge: Hon Judith Collins

This Bill would re-enact the Valuers Act 1948 in modernised form under the Legislation Act 2019. The Bill intends to clarify Parliament’s intent, resolve ambiguities, and update monetary amounts in line with the Consumer Price Index.

An amendment paper has been released alongside the Bill, which proposes substantive amendments including binding the Crown to the principal Act, increasing penalties for offences related to annual practising certificates, removing the minimum age requirement for registration, introducing public inquiry provisions and suppression powers, and allowing disciplinary action against former registered valuers.

Veterans' Recognition Bill
Type of Bill: Government 
Member in charge: Hon Chris Penk

This Bill would formally recognise former members of the New Zealand Defence Force whose service qualified them for medallic honours as veterans, without altering entitlements under the Veterans’ Support Act 2014. It also establishes a non-binding military Covenant between the Crown, the people of New Zealand, and veterans, acknowledging the sacrifices of service personnel and affirming their value to the nation.

Bills awaiting First Reading

• Copyright (Parody and Satire) Amendment Bill
• Crown Minerals (Prohibition on Coal Mining) Amendment Bill
• Defence (Workforce) Amendment Bill
• Financial Markets (International Money Transfers) Amendment Bill
• Human Rights (Prohibition of Discrimination on Grounds of Gender Identity or Expression, and Variations of Sex Characteristics) Amendment Bill
• Life Jackets for Children and Young Persons Bill
• Local Government (Port Companies Accountability) Amendment Bill
• Military Decorations and Distinctive Badges (Modernisation) Amendment Bill
• New Zealand Bill of Rights (Right to Lawfully Acquired Property) Amendment Bill
• New Zealand Infrastructure Commission/Te Waihanga Amendment Bill
• Pare Hauraki Collective Redress Bill
• Residential Tenancies (Registration of Boarding House Landlords) Amendment Bill
• Sale and Supply of Alcohol (Restrictions on Issue of Off-Licences and Low and No Alcohol Products) Amendment Bill
• Taxation (Annual Rates for 2025–26, Compliance Simplification, and Remedial Measures) Bill
• Te Pire Whakahoki i a Kororipo Pā/Kororipo Pā Vesting Bill
• Veterans' Recognition Bill

Bills defeated or withdrawn

• Crimes (Coward Punch Causing Injury or Death) Amendment Bill
• Digital Services Tax Bill
• Employment Relations (Collective Agreements in Triangular Relationships) Amendment Bill
• Enabling Crown Entities to Adopt Māori Names Bill
• Principles of the Treaty of Waitangi Bill
• Property Law (Sunset Clauses) Amendment Bill
• Resource Management (Prohibition on Extraction of Freshwater for On-selling) Amendment Bill

Bills before Select Committee

Submissions Open

Bill	Select Committee	Closing date for Submissions
Patents Amendment Bill	Economic Development, Science and Innovation	4 September 2025
Electoral Amendment Bill	Justice	11 September 2025
Constitution Amendment Bill	Justice	15 September 2025
Regulatory Systems (Internal Affairs) Amendment Bill	Governance and Administration	24 September 2025
Land Transport (Clean Vehicle Standard) Amendment Bill (No 2)	Transport and Infrastructure	26 September 2025
Antisocial Road Use Legislation Amendment Bill	Justice	30 September 2025
Carter Trust Amendment Bill	Social Services and Community	2 October 2025
Regulatory Systems (Transport) Amendment Bill	Transport and Infrastructure	2 October 2025
Summary Offences (Demonstrations Near Residential Premises) Amendment Bill	Justice	6 October 2025

 

Submissions closed

Bill	Select Committee	Report due
Education and Training Amendment Bill (No 2)	Education and Workforce	16 September 2025
Education and Training (Vocational Education and Training System) Amendment Bill	Education and Workforce	21 September 2025
Building and Construction (Small Stand-alone Dwellings) Amendment Bill	Transport and Infrastructure	23 September 2025
Judicature (Timeliness) Legislation Amendment Bill	Justice	23 September 2025
Plain Language Act Repeal Bill	Governance and Administration	1 October 2025
Anzac Day Amendment Bill	Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade	3 October 2025
Employment Relations (Termination of Employment by Agreement) Amendment Bill	Education and Workforce	9 October 2025
Juries (Age of Excusal) Amendment Bill	Justice	9 October 2025
Sale and Supply of Alcohol (Sales on Anzac Day Morning, Good Friday, Easter Sunday, and Christmas Day) Amendment Bill	Justice	9 October 2025
Gene Technology Bill	Health	10 October 2025
Credit Contracts and Consumer Finance Amendment Bill	Finance and Expenditure	20 October 2025
Financial Markets Conduct Amendment Bill	Finance and Expenditure	20 October 2025
Financial Service Providers (Registration and Dispute Resolution) Amendment Bill	Finance and Expenditure	20 October 2025
Game Animal Council (Herds of Special Interest) Amendment Bill	Environment	30 October 2025
Overseas Investment (National Interest Test and Other Matters) Amendment Bill	Finance and Expenditure	31 October 2025
Immigration (Fiscal Sustainability and System Integrity) Amendment Bill	Education and Workforce	13 November 2025
Ngāti Hāua Claims Settlement Bill	Māori Affairs	14 November 2025
Valuers Bill	Primary Production	15 November 2025
Employment Relations Amendment Bill	Education and Workforce	17 November 2025
Legal Services (Distribution of Special Fund) Amendment Bill	Justice	17 November 2025
Online Casino Gambling Bill	Governance and Administration	17 November 2025
Local Government (System Improvements) Amendment Bill	Governance and Administration	18 November 2025
Financial Markets (Conduct of Institutions) Amendment (Duty to Provide Financial Services) Amendment Bill	Finance and Expenditure	21 November 2025
Public Finance Amendment Bill	Finance and Expenditure	22 November 2025
Regulatory Standards Bill	Finance and Expenditure	22 November 2025
Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Financing of Terrorism (Supervisor, Levy, and Other Matters) Amendment Bill	Economic Development, Science and Innovation	24 November 2025
Healthy Futures (Pae Ora) Amendment Bill	Health	24 November 2025
Education and Training (Early Childhood Education Reform) Amendment Bill	Education and Workforce	01 December 2025
Public Service Amendment Bill	Governance and Administration	01 December 2025
Improving Arrangements for Surrogacy Bill	Health	12 December 2025
Legislation Amendment Bill	Justice	18 December 2025
Secondary Legislation Confirmation Bill (No 3)	Regulations Review	17 January 2026

 

Bills awaiting Second Reading

• Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Financing of Terrorism Amendment Bill
• Auckland Council (Auckland Future Fund) Bill
• Consumer Guarantees (Right to Repair) Amendment Bill
• Crimes (Countering Foreign Interference) Amendment Bill
• Crimes (Increased Penalties for Slavery Offences) Amendment Bill
• Customs (Levies and Other Matters) Amendment Bill
• Employment Relations (Restraint of Trade) Amendment Bill
• Fair Digital News Bargaining Bill
• Girl Guides Association (New Zealand Branch) Incorporation Amendment Bill
• Land Transport Management (Time of Use Charging) Amendment Bill
• Māori Purposes Bill
• Marine and Coastal Area (Takutai Moana) (Customary Marine Title) Amendment Bill
• Medicines Amendment Bill
• Mental Health Bill
• Ngāi Te Rangi and Ngā Pōtiki Claims Settlement Bill
• Offshore Renewable Energy Bill
• Oranga Tamariki (Responding to Serious Youth Offending) Amendment Bill
• Pae Ora (Healthy Futures) (3 Day Postnatal Stay) Amendment Bill
• Parole (Mandatory Completion of Rehabilitative Programmes) Amendment Bill
• Parliament Bill
• Policing (Police Vetting) Amendment Bill
• Referendums Framework Bill
• Regulatory Systems (Courts) Amendment Bill
• Regulatory Systems (Occupational Regulation) Amendment Bill
• Regulatory Systems (Tribunals) Amendment Bill
• Tauranga Moana Iwi Collective Redress Bill
• Term of Parliament (Enabling 4-year Term) Legislation Amendment Bill

Bills awaiting Committee of the whole House

• Appropriation (2025/26 Estimates) Bill
• Broadcasting (Repeal of Advertising Restrictions) Amendment Bill
• Climate Change Response (Emissions Trading Scheme—Forestry Conversion) Amendment Bill
• Companies (Address Information) Amendment Bill
• Crimes Legislation (Stalking and Harassment) Amendment Bill
• Ngāti Hei Claims Settlement Bill
• Ngāti Paoa Claims Settlement Bill
• Ngāti Tara Tokanui Claims Settlement Bill
• Regulatory Systems (Primary Industries) Amendment Bill
• Responding to Abuse in Care Legislation Amendment Bill
• Statutes Amendment Bill

Bills awaiting Third Reading

• Child Protection (Child Sex Offender Government Agency Registration) Amendment Bill
• Disputes Tribunal Amendment Bill
• Hauraki Gulf / Tīkapa Moana Marine Protection Bill
• Privacy Amendment Bill

Bills awaiting Royal Assent

•  N/A

Acts assented

Appropriation (2023/24 Confirmation and Validation) Act 2025

This Act confirms and validates financial activity for the 2023/24 year under the Public Finance Act 1989, including:

• confirmation of expenses incurred with Ministerial approval under section 26B;
• validation of expenses by specified departments incurred outside appropriation scope;
• validation of capital injections to the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) and the Office of the Ombudsman under section 26CA;
• validation of prior-year expenses by MBIE (2021/22 and 2022/23); and
• validation of unappropriated expenses by Inland Revenue in 2022/23.

Appropriation (2024/25 Supplementary Estimates) Act 2025

This Act authorises the Government to incur expenses and capital expenditure for the 2024/25 financial year in line with the supplementary estimates presented to Parliament, ensuring that the scope of each appropriation in those estimates forms part of the legal appropriation.

Arms (Shooting Clubs, Shooting Ranges, and Other Matters) Amendment Act 2025

This Act amends the Arms Act 1983 to create different levels of regulation between pistol and non-pistol shooting clubs and ranges, primarily by reducing regulatory requirements for non-pistol shooting clubs and ranges that previously applied to all shooting clubs and ranges. It does this by requiring non-pistol shooting clubs and ranges to be enrolled, while pistol shooting clubs will continue to be required to obtain a certificate of approval issued by the Commissioner of Police (Commissioner) and pistol shooting ranges to be certified by the Commissioner. The Act also:

• allows temporary non-pistol shooting ranges, so long as the operator notifies the Commissioner; and
• limits the circumstances in which Police can inspect shooting clubs and shooting ranges, unless there is a change of circumstances that may affect its safety.

Auckland Harbour Board and Takapuna Borough Council Empowering Act Amendment Act 2025

This Act amends the Auckland Harbour Board and Takapuna Borough Council Empowering Act 1923 to clarify the permitted uses of land at 17 Sir Peter Blake Parade, Bayswater, Auckland. It removes the prohibition on using the land and buildings for private gain, permitting part of the land and any buildings or improvements on it to be used for commercial purposes. However, the principal use must be for community purposes and all revenue from commercial use must be applied to maintenance of the land and buildings or to community purposes. It also enables Auckland Council or its successors to grant leases, licences, or other arrangements consistent with these purposes.

Budapest Convention and Related Matters Legislation Amendment Act 2025

This omnibus Act aligns New Zealand legislation with the Council of Europe Convention on Cybercrime (Budapest Convention) to facilitate New Zealand's accession to the treaty. The Budapest Convention is an international treaty which provides a framework for cybercrime laws to facilitate cooperation and consistency in criminal investigations and prosecution between member countries. The Act introduces new powers for law enforcement and makes various amendments to existing legislation, including amending the Search and Surveillance Act 2012, Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters Act 1992 and Crimes Act 1961 to strengthen capabilities for investigating cybercrime and sharing evidence across borders. 

Building (Overseas Building Products, Standards, and Certification Schemes) Amendment Act 2025

This Act amends the Building Act 2004 with the aim to remove barriers to the use of overseas building products in New Zealand, including by: 

• empowering the chief executive of the Ministry for Business, Innovation and Employment to recognise groups of building products or building methods that are certified by an overseas product certification scheme and meet prescribed criteria as compliant with the Building Code, and to issue building product specifications that may be referred to in an acceptable solution or a verification method;
• empowering the responsible Minister to recognise overseas standards and certification schemes; and
• requiring building consent authorities to accept recognised overseas-certified products and methods as compliant with the Building Code, subject to conditions, and provide protection against liability for building consent authorities relying on recognised overseas certifications.

Crown Minerals Amendment Act 2025

This Act amends the Crown Minerals Act 1991 by repealing the ban on offshore oil and gas exploration and introducing flexibility in the decommissioning liability regime. The amendments:

• repeal the ban on new offshore oil and gas exploration permits, reopening access to offshore acreage;
• replace automatic trailing liability for decommissioning with a discretionary model, allowing Ministers to require financial guarantees from outgoing permit holders;
• require ministerial consent for changes of control in petroleum permit participants, aligning with transfer rules; and
• expand the Minister’s powers to grant exemptions to the decommissioning obligations, including the removal of oil and gas infrastructure and plugging wells. 

See our Energy Blog for more information on the Act.

Customer and Product Data Act 2025

This Act establishes a statutory framework for a "consumer data right", enabling customers and accredited requestors (with customer authorisation) to access specified customer and product data held by data holders or request that the data holder perform certain actions. Protections apply, including duties to confirm that the customer has authorised the request, check the identity of the person who makes the request, and have a complaints process. The Act also sets out situations where a request for data may or must be refused by a data holder, including where disclosure could cause harm.

The Government intends for banking and electricity to be the first sectors designated under this framework, with the specific rules and standards of these sectors to be set out in secondary legislation. 

Dairy Industry Restructuring (Export Licences Allocation) Amendment Act 2025

Dairy export quotas enable prescribed volumes of New Zealand dairy products to receive beneficial tariff rates in certain international markets. These quotas are negotiated as part of a range of trade agreements and administered by New Zealand through export licences.

This Act amends the Dairy Industry Restructuring Act 2001 to change how dairy export quotas administered by New Zealand are allocated, by introducing a system based on export volume history rather than milk solids collection, expanding eligibility to non-bovine dairy exporters, and reserving 10% of licences for smaller or otherwise ineligible exporters. 

Employment Relations (Employee Remuneration Disclosure) Amendment Act 2025

This Act amends the Employment Relations Act 2000 to strengthen protections for employees who disclose or discuss their remuneration. It provides that an employer engaging in adverse conduct in respect of an employee for a remuneration disclosure reason may give rise to a personal grievance. 

A remuneration disclosure reason includes an employee disclosing or discussing their remuneration or inquiring into the remuneration of another employee. Adverse conduct includes dismissing or retiring an employee, subjecting an employee to any detriment, and failing to provide an employee with the same employment terms, working conditions, benefits or career opportunities as those offered to other employees with similar qualifications, experience or skills in comparable roles. 

Employment Relations (Pay Deductions for Partial Strikes) Amendment Act 2025

This Act amends the Employment Relations Act 2000 to enable employers to make pay deductions in response to partial strikes, which are industrial actions by employees that are less than a full withdrawal of labour. Prior to the Act, employers could only either take no action or suspend or lock out employees and deduct all pay for that period as if it were a full strike. The Act provides that employers must notify employees in writing of any pay deductions in response to partial strikes. To calculate pay deductions, an employer can either:

• reduce an employee's pay by a proportionate amount, calculated in accordance with the method set out in the Act; or
• impose a flat deduction rate of 10%.

Equal Pay Amendment Act 2025

This Act introduces changes to the framework for raising and resolving pay equity claims under the Equal Pay Act 1972. Key amendments include:

• increasing the threshold for work “predominantly performed by female employees” to at least 70% female for 10 consecutive years immediately before the date on which the claim was raised;
• replacing the requirement for a claim to be "arguable" with a requirement for a claim to "have merit", which requires establishing both historical undervaluation and ongoing systemic undervaluation for prescribed reasons;
• amending the purpose of the pay equity process to be facilitating the resolution of pay equity claims where there is evidence of systemic sex-based undervaluation of work, removing references to a low threshold for claims;
• amending requirements relating to assessment matters, comparator selection and determinations by the Employment Relations Authority; and
• introducing provisions to address situations where the employer decides that no appropriate comparators are available or that employees covered by the claim do not all perform work that is the same or substantially similar.

Evidence (Giving Evidence of Family Violence) Amendment Act 2025

This Act amends the process for giving evidence in Family Court proceedings involving allegations of family violence under the Evidence Act 2006. The key amendments include:

• introducing an entitlement for family violence evidence to be given by alternative means, including by audio-visual link or behind a screen in the courtroom, so that the witness cannot see the other person(s) to whom the evidence relates; and
• empowering Judges to direct that evidence be given in a different way than proposed, considering the interests of justice and the witness’s wellbeing.

Fisheries (International Fishing and Other Matters) Amendment Act 2025

This Act amends the Fisheries Act 1996 to strengthen New Zealand’s regulatory framework for international fishing and improve compliance with global obligations, particularly in relation to the prevention of illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing. Key amendments include:

• inserting new definitions including “beneficial owner”, “IUU fishing”, and “undermine effectiveness of international conservation and management measures”;
• enabling the chief executive of the responsible Ministry to issue international fishing permits for fishing in foreign jurisdictions or on the high seas, subject to new criteria and considerations;
• expanding the powers of high seas fishery inspectors, including powers to verify vessel nationality, detain vessels at port and conduct searches under warrant;
• creating a new offence for assisting IUU-listed vessels; and
• restructuring provisions, amending terms and making other consequential amendments to support the new international fishing permit regime.

Imprest Supply (First for 2025/26) Act 2025

This Act provides the Government with financial authority from Parliament for the beginning of the 2025/2026 financial year until the entering into force of the Appropriation (2025/2026 Estimates) Act. This Act authorises Government spending in relation to a range of expenses including capital expenditure to be incurred by an intelligence and security department and non-departmental capital expenditure to be incurred in advance of a multi-category appropriation. The calculated amounts are designed to provide sufficient authorisation for the period between the start of the financial year and the latest date on which the third reading of the main Appropriation Act must be completed.

Invest New Zealand Act 2025

This Act establishes Invest New Zealand as an autonomous Crown entity responsible for promoting increased overseas investment in New Zealand. It sets out the functions of Invest New Zealand, which include facilitating overseas investment by connecting investors with New Zealand opportunities, building and sharing investment-related knowledge, advising on policy and legislative reform to attract investment, and performing additional functions as directed by the Minister. It also provides for the transfer of functions and employees from New Zealand Trade and Enterprise to Invest New Zealand.

Land Transport (Drug Driving) Amendment Act 2025

This Act amends enforcement mechanisms relating to drug-impaired driving offences under the Land Transport Act 1998, including:

• establishing detailed procedures for oral fluid testing to support roadside detection, including multiple test stages, sample handling and options for private analysis;
• revising the offence and penalty framework, including introducing new offences for refusing oral fluid tests;
• clarifying the powers and responsibilities of enforcement officers in relation to oral fluid tests; and
• empowering the responsible Minister to approve testing devices and specify qualifying drugs and screening thresholds.

Local Government (Water Services) Act 2025

This Act marks the third and final piece of legislation giving effect to the Government's legislative water reform programme known as Local Water Done Well. It establishes a water services delivery framework, including:

• providing for councils' responsibility for providing water services in their territories and various options for structuring their delivery arrangements;
• outlining the responsibilities, functions and powers of councils and water organisations they may transfer responsibility to;
• establishing a new planning and accountability reporting framework; and
• making changes to the regulatory framework for water quality and to the water services regulator.

For more information, see our latest Insight on the Act here. 

Local Government (Water Services) (Repeals and Amendments) Act 2025

This Act emerged from the Committee of the Whole House stage of the Local Government (Water Services) Act 2025, when that (originally omnibus) piece of legislation was divided into two separate Acts. This Act makes various amendments to existing legislation to reflect the new water services delivery framework, including amendments to the Commerce Act 1986 to introduce an economic regulation regime for water services, as well as amendments to the Water Services Act 2021 and the Local Government Act 2002.

Ngā Hapū o Ngāti Ranginui Claims Settlement Act 2025

This Act gives effect to the deed of settlement between the Crown and Ngā Hapū o Ngāti Ranginui, providing final settlement of historical claims and removal of jurisdiction of courts and tribunals to consider them. Key provisions include:

• recording the Crown’s acknowledgements and apology for historical breaches of te Tiriti o Waitangi;
• providing for cultural redress including protocols for taonga tūturu, official geographic names, naming and management of reserves and vesting of cultural redress properties; and
• providing for commercial redress including transfer of properties, Māori reservations and a right of first refusal over specified Crown-owned land.

Oranga Tamariki (Repeal of Section 7AA) Amendment Act 2025

This Act removes the statutory obligations relating to the Treaty of Waitangi from the Oranga Tamariki Act 1989. Prior to the Act, section 7AA(1) of the Oranga Tamariki Act stated that the duties of the chief executive of Oranga Tamariki are imposed to recognise and provide a practical commitment to the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi. However, it retains the requirement to seek to develop strategic partnerships with iwi and Māori organisations (which was previously housed within section 7AA).

Outer Space and High-altitude Activities Amendment Act 2025

This Act introduces a regulatory regime for ground-based space infrastructure (GBSI) that is aimed at managing national security and other national interest risks. It amends the Outer Space and High-altitude Activities Act 2017 to establish that authorisation is required for operating GBSI to carry out regulated activities, which include telemetry, tracking and control of space objects, space surveillance and identification of space objects and satellite data reception. The responsible Minister may grant GBSI activity authorisations if requirements are met, including protective security and partner due diligence arrangements, and the grant of the authorisation is in the national interest. The Minister may impose conditions with the authorisation in order to give effect to New Zealand’s international obligations or protect national security or other national interests. The Act also establishes a compliance and enforcement framework for the regime. 

Oversight of Oranga Tamariki System Legislation Amendment Act 2025

This Act amends the Oversight of Oranga Tamariki System Act 2022 and the Children and Young People's Commission Act 2022, with key amendments including:

• replacing the Aroturuki Tamariki - Independent Children’s Monitor with a new Independent Monitor of the Oranga Tamariki System as a Crown entity governed by a three-member board with expertise in the Oranga Tamariki system, quality assurance, and data governance, and a duty to act independently; and
• replacing the Children and Young People’s Commission with a single Children’s Commissioner and enabling appointment of a Deputy Commissioner.

Public Works (Critical Infrastructure) Amendment Act 2025

This Act amends the Public Works Act 1981 to introduce a modified process for acquiring land for critical infrastructure projects listed in Schedule 2A. Key provisions include:

• requiring the Minister or local authority to first attempt acquisition by agreement, with compulsory acquisition permitted if negotiations fail subject to detailed notice and reasoning requirements;
• providing for compensation payments to landowners, which incentivise early agreement, and for circumstances in which compensation must not be paid or may be adjusted;
• removing the right to object to the Environment Court for listed projects, replacing it with a written submissions process to the Minister or local authority; and
• exempting protected Māori land from the new process and allowing use of the standard Part 2 process where preferable to the responsible department, Crown body or local authority.

Racing Industry Amendment Act 2025

This Act amends provisions of the Racing Industry Act 2020 relating to regulatory oversight and TAB NZ. Key amendments include:

• prohibiting all racing or sports betting offerings to persons in New Zealand except by TAB NZ;
• expanding the responsible Minister’s and chief executive’s powers to require information from TAB NZ;
• introducing departmental monitoring of compliance and enabling delegation of monitoring functions;
• expanding regulation-making powers relating to harm prevention and minimisation, including for purposes of restricting inducements, regulating betting intensity and prescribing customer verification requirements;
• introducing new regulation-making powers relating to consumer protection, including providing for exclusions, bet limits, product offerings, information disclosure and dispute resolution processes; and
• repealing provisions relating to offshore consumption charges.

Rates Rebate Amendment Act 2025

The Act amends the Rates Rebate Act 1973 with the objective of offering financial support to low-income SuperGold Card cardholders facing financial hardship due to high rates bills. This Act introduces a separate income abatement threshold of $45,000 for SuperGold Card cardholders, as the general income abatement threshold of $31,510 per household had the effect of excluding some cardholders from benefitting from the rates rebate scheme. 

Regulatory Systems (Economic Development) Amendment Act 2025

The Act makes minor regulatory amendments to 24 pieces of legislation administered by MBIE. Key changes include:

• amending the Building Societies Act 1965 to require building societies to meet new registration criteria with compliance required within 12 months;
• amending the Charitable Trusts Act 1957 to require an electronic address to be provided in applications for incorporation, and clarify naming requirements and the powers of the Registrar to require name changes;
• amending the Financial Markets Conduct Act 2013 to include contracts of insurance and DIMS facilities in the definition of financial product for the purposes of Part 2 (fair dealing) and prohibit the use of a contract term in certain standard form contracts if a court has declared that the term is an unfair contract term;
• amending the definitions of “large entity” and “specified not-for-profit entity” in the Financial Reporting Act 2013; and
• amending the Takeovers Act 1993 and Takeovers Code to remove the 50 share parcel threshold for code company status and clarify that joint shareholders are counted as one for the purposes of determining shareholder numbers.

Regulatory Systems (Immigration and Workforce) Amendment Act 2025

This Act makes regulatory amendments to seven statutes in the portfolio areas of Energy, Workplace Relations and Safety, and Immigration. Key changes include:

• amending the Electricity Act 1992 and Gas Act 1992 to empower WorkSafe to develop safety instruments and enable Ministerial approval, amendment and revocation of safety instruments;
• amending the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015, including to update the definition of notifiable incident and add a definition of relevant regulatory agency;
• amending licensing provisions under the Immigration Advisers Licensing Act 1997; and
• adjusting the calculation of the entitlement of parental leave under the Parental Leave and Employment Protection Act 1987, including on the basis of where a baby is born preterm.  

Resource Management (Consenting and Other System Changes) Amendment Act 2025

This Act amends the Resource Management Act 1991 to support Government priorities across five key areas. Key amendments include:

• Infrastructure and energy: introducing 35-year default consent durations and 10-year lapse periods for renewable energy or long-lived infrastructure, one-year processing timeframes for certain consents, simplified designation processes and 10-year lapse periods for designations, and extended port permit durations;
• Housing: enabling Auckland and Christchurch councils to opt out of the medium density residential standards under specific conditions, amending the Streamlined Planning Process and facilitating heritage delisting;
• Farming and primary sector: clarifying overlap with the Fisheries Act, amending aquaculture and wood processing consent processes, and enabling industry-led certification;
• Natural hazards and emergencies: strengthening council powers to decline land use consents or impose conditions in hazard-prone areas and introduces new emergency response regulation-making powers; and
• System improvements: increasing penalties and removing insurance against penalties, allowing consideration of an applicant’s compliance history in consent decisions, validating sand and shingle royalties, and introducing new ministerial powers to enforce national direction.

Sentencing (Reform) Amendment Act 2025

This Act amends the Sentencing Act 2002, with key changes including:

• amending sentencing principles to strengthen the requirement to take into account any information provided to the court about victims' needs and interests;
• providing an overview and clarification of the application of aggravating and mitigating factors and introducing new aggravating factors, to deter certain types of crime;
• limiting to 40% the extent to which a sentence may be reduced based on personal mitigating factors, subject to exceptions;
• implementing a sliding scale setting out maximum sentence reductions for guilty pleas corresponding to when in the court process the plea is entered;
• preventing repeat use of sentence reductions for youth and for remorse; and
• encouraging cumulative sentencing for offences committed while on bail, in custody, or on parole.

Social Assistance Legislation (Accommodation Supplement and Income-related Rent) Amendment Act 2025

This Act amends provisions relating to subsidies and other assistance under the Social Security Act 2018 and the Public and Community Housing Management Act 1992. Key amendments include:

• defining “boarder” and clarifying that 62% of board payments are treated as accommodation contributions for both boarders and recipients;
• repealing provisions that disregarded board payments from the first two boarders when calculating accommodation supplement and income-related rent, so that payments from all boarders are now considered;
• replacing the Ministry of Social Development's (MSD) discretion to grant accommodation supplements with a requirement to grant them if eligibility criteria are met, and requiring cancellation if the rate is zero for eight consecutive weeks; and
• establishing a process for resolving discrepancies in information relevant to housing assistance, including suspension and cancellation provisions.

Social Security Amendment Act 2025

This Act makes changes to the welfare system under the Social Security Act 2018 and Social Security Regulations 2018. Key amendments include:

• reducing the expiry date for jobseeker support from 52 weeks to 26 weeks;
• requiring completion of jobseeker profiles by recipients and their partners;
• introducing new non-financial sanctions for failing to comply with obligations including money management, community work experience, reporting job search, and upskilling, with financial sanctions for failing to meet requirements of non-financial sanctions with and without a good and sufficient reason and recompliance processes for each new sanction type;
• extending the period over which obligation failures are counted against a client from 12 months to 24 months, with the exception of youth and young parent payments; and
• requiring cancellation of youth and young parent payments for continued non-compliance.

Social Security (Mandatory Reviews) Amendment Act 2025

This Act amends the Social Security Act 2018 to introduce a system of mandatory reviews for specified benefits. Key changes include:

• requiring MSD to review the eligibility and rate of specified benefits designated by regulations at least once every 52 weeks;
• requiring MSD to notify beneficiaries and collect relevant information for mandatory reviews, with exemptions provided for certain circumstances; and
• enabling the use of automated electronic systems to conduct mandatory reviews.

This Act comes into force on 2 March 2026.

Social Workers Registration Amendment Act 2025

This Act amends the Social Workers Registration Act 2003, including to:  

• broaden the grounds for interim suspension to include where an investigation or criminal proceeding is reasonably contemplated;
• change further interim suspension periods from 10 days to any period that is reasonable and necessary for the Social Workers Registration Board (Board) to be satisfied that the social worker was or is again able to practise satisfactorily as a social worker;
• allow professional conduct committees to make multiple determinations for complaints or convictions;
• enable the Board to monitor prescribed educational qualifications and delegate its functions, duties and powers relating to registration; and
• transfer specified investigative functions from the Ministry of Social Development to the Board.

Taxation (Annual Rates for 2024–25, Emergency Response, and Remedial Measures) Act 2025

This Act amends various pieces of tax-related legislation to:

• set the annual income tax rates for the 2024-25 income tax year; and
• update various other tax settings, including to:
  • allow tax relief following emergency events to be implemented by Order-in-Council;
  • introduce reporting obligations in respect of income derived from crypto-assets;
  • allow for retrospective registration of a security for the approved issuer levy in certain circumstances;
  • adjust the approach to taxation of qualifying recognised overseas pensions schemes;
  • increase the threshold for exempt employee share schemes; and
  • introduce a number of other remedial amendments.

Taxation (Budget Measures) Act 2025

This Act implements tax reforms announced in Budget 2025, including by:

• introducing the "Investment Boost" expensing regime, which allows businesses to immediately deduct 20% of the cost of qualifying capital assets to increase tax deductions in the year the asset is acquired;
• increasing minimum KiwiSaver contribution rates to 3.5% from 1 April 2026 and 4% from 1 April 2028, while allowing temporary reductions to 3%;
• extending eligibility for employer and government KiwiSaver contributions to 16- and 17-year-olds from 1 April 2026 and 1 July 2025 respectively;
• removing eligibility for government contributions for members with an annual taxable income of over $180,000 from 1 July 2025;
• halving government contributions to KiwiSaver for all members from 1 July 2025; and
• increasing Working for Families abatement threshold and rates and introducing income testing to the "Best Start" entitlement from 1 April 2026.

United Arab Emirates Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement Legislation Amendment Act 2025

This Act implements New Zealand’s obligations under the UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement by:

• increasing investment thresholds under the Overseas Investment Act 2005 and related regulations;
• amending customs certification processes under the Customs and Excise Act 2018 for goods that originate in New Zealand;
• updating tariff rates and the tariff treatment of goods returned to New Zealand after repair or alteration; and
• amending rules of origin for goods imported from the UAE.

Victims of Sexual Violence (Strengthening Legal Protections) Legislation Act 2025

This Act amends the Crimes Act 1961 and Criminal Procedure Act 2011 to increase safeguards for victims of sexual violence while participating in court processes. The Act:

• broadens the availability of automatic name suppression for victims of sexual crimes;
• prohibits a Court from granting permanent name suppression for a person convicted of a sexual offence without the consent of the relevant complainant, except in very limited circumstances;
• prevents charges for sexual violation being brought if a victim is under 12 years old (and instead requires charges of sexual connection with a child to be brought, which limits the scope of questions that can be put to the victim); and
• consequently, increases the maximum penalty for sexual conduct with a child under 12 from 14 years to 20 years to align with the penalty for sexual violation. 

Wildlife (Authorisations) Amendment Act 2025

This Act responds to uncertainty caused by the High Court decision in Environmental Law Initiative v The Director-General of the Department of Conservation and others [2025] NZHC 391. It amends the Wildlife Act 1953 to clarify that the Director-General of Conservation can authorise the incidental killing of wildlife where the killing is not directly intended but is an unavoidable and foreseeable consequence of carrying out an otherwise lawful activity. It provides that an authorisation can only be granted where:

• the Director General has considered the potential adverse effects of the authorisation and how those might be mitigated;
• the overall effect of any authorisation is still consistent with the protection of wildlife; and
• the authority holder will take reasonable steps to avoid, minimise and mitigate any adverse effects of the lawful activity on individual wildlife.