In progress (before select committee)

Replacing the Resource Management Act (RMA)

The coalition’s biggest overhaul of how New Zealand manages land, housing and the environment. It scraps the Resource Management Act 1991 — long criticised across the political spectrum as slow and costly — and replaces it with two new laws. (The government first repealed the previous Labour government’s own RMA replacement in 2023, then set about writing its own.)

Its journey through Parliament

9 Dec 2025

Natural Environment Bill and Planning Bill introduced to Parliament

13 Feb 2026

Public submissions to the select committee close

By 2029

New planning system intended to be fully operational

What it does

A Planning Act — focused on enabling development and regulating how land is used.

A Natural Environment Act — focused on protecting the natural environment, setting environmental “bottom lines” (limits) in advance rather than negotiating them project by project.

Nationally consistent zones, rules and definitions, to reduce the “postcode lottery” where the same activity is treated differently by each council.

Why it defined this election

How New Zealand manages housing growth and the environment — a core election issue, and one of the biggest reforms of the term.

Public response

The two replacement bills are before the select committee, with submissions open into February 2026 — so the public debate is still under way. Supporters want a faster, cheaper and more consistent system; critics worry that setting limits up front and speeding development could weaken environmental protections and public input.

Who championed it

National-led government; Minister for RMA Reform Chris Bishop.

Where it landed

In progress. The two replacement bills are at the select committee stage; the new system is intended to be fully operational by 2029. Until then, the RMA still applies.

Where the parties stand on housing Verify at the official source — parliament.nz — Bills & laws

Sources

Ministry for the Environment — Resource management reforms Beehive — Resource management reform (factsheet) NZ Parliament — Bills & laws

Neutral summary, January 2026 knowledge cut-off — confirm any later changes at the official source. Arapono does not take a side.