Bills & Legislation

Updates consumer credit protections including changes to responsible lending obligations, fee disclosures, and enforcement powers for the Commerce Commission. Aims to balance consumer protection with credit availability.

Assented 2026. Amends the Credit Contracts and Consumer Finance Act 2003.

Replaces most criminal offences under the Fair Trading Act with civil pecuniary penalties and lifts the maximum penalties. The intent is faster enforcement - the Commerce Commission can pursue civil proceedings on the balance of probabilities rather than to the criminal standard - with bigger fines for misleading consumers.

Introduced 2026; Finance and Expenditure Committee (submissions closed 16 July 2026).

Changes registration requirements for agricultural compounds and veterinary medicines, allows New Zealand to rely on assessments by recognised overseas regulators, and moves exemption powers to the Director-General of the Ministry for Primary Industries. Aimed at cutting the time it takes to bring new animal remedies and farm inputs to market.

Introduced 2026; before select committee.

Implements legislative changes required to give effect to the New Zealand-India free trade agreement - one of National's key trade priorities. Covers tariff reductions, market access, and regulatory alignment.

First reading passed June 2026; before Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Select Committee (submissions closed 19 July 2026)

Requires banks and money transfer services to disclose all international money transfer fees to customers before transactions. Targets hidden fees on remittances.

Passed first reading April 2026

Requires all new regulation to pass cost-benefit analysis and respect property rights. Designed to reduce 'red tape' by making it harder for government to impose costly rules on businesses.

Royal Assent November 2025, commenced January 2026

Would repeal David Seymour's Regulatory Standards Act 2025. Labour argues the Act undermines Treaty obligations, weakens environmental protections, and was opposed by 88% of public submissions.

Lodged November 2025 - direct counter-legislation to ACT's Regulatory Standards Act

Restored tax deductibility for rental property interest costs and reduced the bright-line test from 10 years to 2 years. Makes property investment more attractive for landlords.

Passed March 2024

Removed the dual mandate (employment + inflation). The Reserve Bank now focuses solely on price stability. This means interest rate decisions prioritise controlling inflation over supporting employment.

Royal Assent December 2023

Introduced GST collection obligations on platform economy operators (Uber, Airbnb, etc.), requiring platforms to collect and return GST on supplies made through their platforms. Also included the new 39% top personal income tax rate applying to income over $180,000, which had been introduced in 2021.

Passed March 2023

Extended the bright-line property test from 5 years to 10 years, meaning gains from selling residential investment property within 10 years were taxed as income. Also removed interest deductibility for rental properties. Aimed to cool the housing market. Both measures reversed by the incoming government.

Bright-line extended to 10 years from 27 March 2021. Passed under urgency. REVERSED: Bright-line reduced to 2 years and interest deductibility restored by the incoming government (March 2024).

Tightened rules on overseas purchases of forestry rights and large-scale farmland. Required overseas investors buying significant forestry assets to demonstrate benefits to NZ. Responded to concerns about foreign carbon farming — overseas companies buying NZ farmland for pine plantations to generate carbon credits, converting productive pastoral land.

Passed 2021

Introduced a new 39% personal income tax rate on income over $180,000 per year, the first income tax increase since 2000. Affected approximately 2% of earners and was forecast to raise $550 million per year. Labour argued the wealthiest should contribute more; opponents said it penalised success and would drive talent offshore.

Passed December 2020. Effective 1 April 2021.

Introduced a 15% tax credit for eligible R&D expenditure over $50,000 per year, capped at $120 million of expenditure. Aimed to boost NZ's historically low business R&D spending (around 0.6% of GDP vs OECD average of 1.7%). Replaced National's less generous Callaghan Innovation grants with a broader, more accessible scheme.

Passed May 2019. R&D tax incentive effective from 2019-20 income year.

The Tax Working Group recommended a comprehensive capital gains tax covering most assets including investment property, shares, and business assets (excluding the family home). NZ First's opposition made it impossible for the coalition government to implement it. Ardern ruled out a CGT for as long as she was PM.

Rejected by Cabinet 17 April 2019. The Tax Working Group (chaired by Sir Michael Cullen) recommended a comprehensive CGT but NZ First refused to support it. PM Ardern ruled it out under her leadership.

Extended the bright-line test from 2 years to 5 years, meaning property investors selling residential property within 5 years of purchase would be taxed on their gains. Aimed to deter property speculation.

Passed 63-57, extended bright-line from 2 to 5 years. Subsequently extended to 10 years in 2021 (53rd Parliament), then REVERSED to 2 years by the current government in 2024.

Votes: 63-57

Amended NZ law to implement the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA), including changes to copyright, patents, and investment rules. Highly controversial - opponents said it surrendered sovereignty to multinational corporations, while supporters said it opened new trade opportunities.

Passed 61-57, November 2016

Votes: 61-57

Included tax changes to encourage business R&D, adjustments to international tax rules, and various remedial tax measures. Addressed base erosion and profit shifting (BEPS) concerns from multinational companies operating in New Zealand.

Passed March 2016

Introduced a two-year 'bright-line test' taxing gains from residential property bought and sold within two years. National's concession to the overheated housing market - critics said it was too weak to be a meaningful capital gains tax.

Passed November 2015, effective 1 October 2015. Later extended to 5 years (2018), then 10 years (2021) by Labour, then back to 2 years by National (2024).

Strengthened payment protections for subcontractors and suppliers in the construction industry. Introduced retention money trust requirements to protect subcontractors when head contractors go insolvent — a major issue following several high-profile construction firm collapses.

Passed October 2015

Comprehensive reform of New Zealand's financial markets regulation, replacing the Securities Act 1978. Introduced a single licensing regime for financial service providers, improved investor protections, and modernised disclosure requirements for financial products.

Passed September 2013. Major overhaul of securities law.

Strengthened fiscal responsibility provisions, requiring governments to set long-term fiscal objectives and report on progress. Part of National's 'back to surplus' agenda following the GFC and Canterbury earthquakes.

Passed August 2013, Royal Assent September 2013

Enabled partial privatisation of state-owned energy companies by allowing the government to sell up to 49% of shares in Mighty River Power, Meridian Energy, Genesis Energy, and Solid Energy. One of the most divisive bills of the Key era, later subject to a citizens-initiated referendum which the government ignored.

Passed 61-60, Royal Assent June 2012

Votes: 61-60

Refocuses health-and-safety duties on critical risks (death, serious injury or illness), clarifies the duties of company directors, strengthens Approved Codes of Practice, and applies more proportionate requirements to small businesses to reduce compliance duplication.

Passed final reading 1 July 2026; most changes take effect 1 April 2027. Amends the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015.

Replaces the Holidays Act 2003 with an hours-based accrual system for annual and sick leave, simplified hourly rates across leave types, and itemised pay statements, aiming to fix long-standing payroll-calculation problems.

Third reading 29 July 2026; Royal Assent 6 August 2026. Comes into force 6 August 2028 after a 24-month transition, replacing the Holidays Act 2003.

Introduces a parental income test for 18- and 19-year-olds applying for Jobseeker Support, so their parents' income is counted when assessing eligibility, and raises the Accommodation Supplement entry threshold. The Government frames this as parents supporting young adults who can be supported at home; critics say it traps young people in unstable or unsafe households and cuts off those whose parents will not help.

Introduced 2026; before select committee.

Would require Oranga Tamariki to help 18- to 21-year-olds leaving state care find suitable accommodation, rather than support ending abruptly at 18. Young people transitioning out of care are heavily over-represented in homelessness and youth justice statistics.

Introduced 2026; awaiting first reading.

Amends the Retirement Villages Act to require operators to repay a departing resident's capital sum within three months, with at least 10% returned within five working days. Applies to both current and future residents, replacing the current situation where repayment can take many months at the operator's discretion.

Proposed member's bill lodged in the ballot; Consumer NZ petition of ~40,000 signatures backing it presented 23 June 2026

Allows the Ministry of Social Development to use automated electronic systems to make decisions, exercise powers and meet obligations under social security law. The Government says this covers rule-based automation of straightforward administrative decisions in order to cut delays, not generative AI, and that human oversight safeguards remain. Critics - including disability advocates and academics - objected both to the substance and to the use of urgency, which skipped public consultation entirely.

Passed under urgency on 29 May 2026 - no select committee stage and no public submissions.

Would fine large companies $200,000 for failing to monitor and report modern slavery in their supply chains. Requires businesses to trace exploitation in their operations globally.

Passed first reading April 2026 - rare bipartisan co-sponsorship (Labour + National)

Tightened personal grievance criteria, created employee/contractor gateway test, and eliminated payouts for dismissals due to misconduct. Makes it easier for employers to dismiss staff.

Passed February 2026

Banned employer clauses that prevent workers from discussing their pay with colleagues. Enables pay transparency so workers can identify pay inequity.

Passed August 2025

Raised thresholds for pay equity claims and dropped 33 existing claims affecting ~150,000 workers. Government says it saved $13 billion; critics say it denied workers fair pay.

Passed under urgency, 6 May 2025

Clarified in law that employers who deliberately withhold wages from workers are committing theft. Gives workers stronger legal protections against wage theft.

Passed 63-59 (March 2025). National and ACT voted against; NZ First crossed the floor to pass it.

Votes: 63-59 - National and ACT opposed; NZ First crossed the floor.

Would have removed GST (15%) from all food and non-alcoholic beverages. Aimed to reduce grocery costs for all New Zealanders, especially low-income whānau.

Defeated at first reading March 2024 - no other party supported it despite public polling showing majority support

Repealed Labour's fair pay agreements system which allowed industry-wide minimum employment conditions to be negotiated. Returns to individual/enterprise bargaining only.

Passed under urgency, 14 December 2023

Reinstated 90-day trial periods for all employers (previously only businesses with fewer than 20 staff). Employers can dismiss new staff within 90 days without personal grievance claims.

Passed 21 December 2023

Responded to the Commerce Commission's finding that the grocery sector was a duopoly (Woolworths NZ and Foodstuffs) earning excess profits. Established a Grocery Commissioner to enforce a mandatory code of conduct, required major retailers to provide wholesale supply to competitors, and aimed to improve competition and reduce prices.

Passed April 2023. Response to Commerce Commission market study.

Enabled industry-wide collective bargaining for minimum employment conditions (pay, hours, conditions) across entire sectors. Bus drivers were the first sector covered. Aimed to lift pay for workers in industries with weak bargaining power. Repealed as the incoming government's first legislative act.

Passed 76-43 (third reading 25 October 2022), Royal Assent 1 November 2022. REPEALED under urgency 14 December 2023 - the incoming government's very first legislative act.

Votes: 76-43

Restored collective bargaining rights to screen industry workers (actors, crew), reversing National's 2010 'Hobbit law' which had classified all screen workers as independent contractors. Allowed workers to bargain collectively while maintaining flexibility for productions. Corrected what unions called a law written for one foreign studio.

Passed March 2022

Provides three days paid bereavement leave for people who have suffered a miscarriage or stillbirth. NZ was one of the first countries in the world to legislate this. Also covers parents planning to have a child through adoption or surrogacy.

Passed unanimously 24 March 2021 (53rd Parliament). NZ was one of the first countries in the world to legislate this. Remains in force.

Votes: Passed unanimously

Created a streamlined process for pay equity claims, making it easier for workers in female-dominated industries to seek pay equity settlements. Built on the precedent of the historic aged-care pay equity settlement.

Passed November 2020 with unanimous cross-party support (National voted enthusiastically at third reading, ACT neither spoke nor voted). AMENDED: Equal Pay Amendment Act 2025 significantly altered the pay equity process, tightening claim criteria.

Votes: Passed unanimously (ACT abstained)

Required current and future governments to set and report against three-year and ten-year child poverty reduction targets. Made the Prime Minister responsible for child poverty reduction. Near-unanimous cross-party support including National.

Passed 119-1, Royal Assent December 2018. Only ACT voted against. Remains in force - the current government continues to report against child poverty targets as required.

Votes: 119-1

Restricted 90-day trial periods to businesses with fewer than 20 employees, strengthened union rights including access to workplaces, restored obligations for employers to conclude collective bargaining, and extended rest and meal break protections.

Passed 63-57, Royal Assent 12 December 2018. PARTIALLY REVERSED: 90-day trial periods restored to all businesses by the current government (Employment Contracts Amendment Act 2023).

Votes: 63-57

Gave domestic violence victims the right to 10 days paid leave and flexible working arrangements, and made it illegal to discriminate against them in employment. New Zealand was one of the first countries in the world to provide paid domestic violence leave. Widely praised internationally.

Passed 63-57 (third reading 25 July 2018), in force 1 April 2019. Some National MPs backed it at earlier stages, but National and ACT voted against at the third reading. Remains in force.

Votes: 63-57

Introduced the Best Start tax credit ($60/week for new babies), increased Working for Families payments, and created the Winter Energy Payment for beneficiaries and superannuitants. Aimed to lift 88,000 children out of poverty.

Passed 63-57, Royal Assent 20 December 2017. Best Start and Winter Energy Payment remain in place under the current government.

Votes: 63-57

Extended paid parental leave from 18 weeks to 22 weeks (from July 2018) and then to 26 weeks (from July 2020). One of the first bills passed by the Ardern government within its first 100 days.

Passed unanimously 30 November 2017, Royal Assent 4 December 2017. 26 weeks paid parental leave remains in force.

Votes: Passed unanimously

Created Oranga Tamariki (Ministry for Children) as a standalone agency to replace Child, Youth and Family. Reformed the care and protection system to put children at the centre of decision-making. Opposition parties voted against due to removal of 'whanau first' provisions.

Passed July 2017. Oranga Tamariki established 1 April 2017.

Would have extended paid parental leave from 18 weeks to 26 weeks. Passed through Parliament with crossbench support including NZ First, Greens, Māori Party, and United Future. Killed by the government using the financial veto power. One of the most controversial uses of executive power in the Key era.

First reading passed 61-60 (September 2015). Had votes to pass but Finance Minister Bill English used financial veto (s26 NZ Bill of Rights) in June 2016 to block third reading, citing $278m cost. Only the second use of the financial veto in NZ history.

Major workplace safety overhaul in response to the Pike River mine disaster that killed 29 workers. Imposed new duties on 'persons conducting a business or undertaking' (PCBUs) and created tougher penalties for safety failures. Received broad cross-party support.

Passed August 2015, in force 4 April 2016.

Would have provided fully state-funded breakfast and lunch programmes in all decile 1 and 2 schools. Supported by 70% of New Zealanders in polling. Government argued existing voluntary programmes were sufficient. One of the most emotionally charged defeats of the Key era.

Drawn from ballot November 2012. First reading passed May 2014. Adopted by Metiria Turei (GRN) after Harawira lost seat in 2014. Defeated 59-61 at second reading, March 2015.

Votes: 59-61

Would have extended paid parental leave from 14 weeks to 26 weeks (six months). Passed second reading with crossbench support but was defeated on a tied vote at third reading after the 2014 election increased National's numbers. Moroney subsequently had a new version drawn from the ballot in the 51st Parliament.

Defeated 60-60 at third reading, February 2015. A tied vote meant the bill failed.

Votes: 60-60

Weakened union rights by removing the requirement for employers to conclude collective bargaining, allowing partial pay deductions during strikes, and introducing flexible 'starting-out' wages below the minimum wage. Labour and unions called it the biggest attack on workers' rights in a generation.

Passed March 2014. Repealed in part by Employment Relations Amendment Act 2018 under Labour.

Required government agencies to work together on child protection, introduced mandatory safety-checking of the children's workforce, and created Children's Teams for at-risk children. A landmark child protection law in response to high-profile child abuse cases.

Passed June 2014, Royal Assent 30 June 2014. Renamed to Children's Act 2014 in December 2018.

Biggest welfare overhaul in 50 years. Replaced multiple benefit categories with three main types: Jobseeker Support, Sole Parent Support, and Supported Living Payment. Imposed stronger work-test obligations and benefit sanctions, which critics said punished the most vulnerable.

Passed April 2013. Part 2 of National's welfare reform package, in force July 2013.

First phase of National's welfare reforms introducing mandatory work obligations for beneficiaries, including young parents on the DPB. Required teen parents to be in education or training and have their children in early childhood education or face benefit sanctions.

Passed 2012. Part 1 of National's welfare reform package.

Billed as the biggest building-system reform in 20 years. Shifts from joint-and-several to proportionate liability, requires mandatory professional indemnity insurance for building designers and engineers and mandatory home warranties for new builds and major renovations of $100,000 or more, enables voluntary consolidation of the 69 Building Consent Authorities, cuts Project Information Memorandum processing from 20 to 10 working days, and creates a 10-working-day consent pathway for standard new residential builds.

First reading 2 July 2026; now before Transport and Infrastructure Select Committee (submissions open until 15 November 2026)

Would add insulated curtains or blinds to the healthy homes standards, so landlords must provide window coverings in rental properties. Curtains are one of the cheapest ways to cut heat loss, but the 2019 healthy homes standards covered heating, insulation, ventilation, moisture and draughts - not window coverings.

Introduced 2026; awaiting first reading.

Cuts Auckland's housing intensification capacity target by 32.5 percent - from 2 million to 1.4 million homes - scaling back the level of enabled density Auckland Council must plan for. The Government argues the previous target was unrealistic and forced upzoning in places without the infrastructure to support it; opponents argue that reducing enabled capacity works against the Government's own goal of making housing more affordable.

Passed in early April 2026; in force from 7 April 2026.

Allowed landlords to charge pet bonds and reinstated 90-day no-cause evictions for tenants. Gives landlords more flexibility to manage their properties.

Passed December 2024

Allowed three homes of up to three storeys on most residential sites without resource consent in major cities. A rare bipartisan housing deal between Labour and National to boost housing supply by an estimated 105,500 new homes over eight years.

Passed 14-15 December 2021 with rare bipartisan Labour-National support. Remains in force - the Medium Density Residential Standards (MDRS) continue to apply.

Removed landlords' ability to issue no-cause evictions, limited rent increases to once per year (previously every 6 months), and strengthened tenants' rights. Reversed by the National-led government in 2024.

Royal Assent 11 August 2020, most provisions in force 11 February 2021. REVERSED: Residential Tenancies Amendment Act 2024 reinstated no-cause 90-day terminations for periodic tenancies and rolled back key tenant protections (in force 30 January 2025).

Gave Kāinga Ora (Housing NZ) sweeping powers to carry out urban development projects, including compulsory land acquisition, infrastructure provision, and master-planning of specified development areas. Aimed to enable large-scale, transit-oriented urban development to address the housing crisis.

Passed August 2020. Gave Kāinga Ora urban development powers.

Merged Housing New Zealand, its subsidiary HLC, and the KiwiBuild Unit into a single entity called Kāinga Ora. Created a Crown entity responsible for public housing and urban development projects.

Passed October 2019, Kāinga Ora operational 1 October 2019. Kāinga Ora remains but the current government has reduced its scope and scaled back urban development powers.

Set minimum standards for heating, insulation, ventilation, moisture, drainage, and draught stopping in rental properties. Required landlords to install fixed heaters in main living rooms capable of reaching 18°C, and to meet ceiling and underfloor insulation standards. A landmark intervention to address NZ's cold, damp housing stock.

Regulations established 2019, compliance deadlines from 2021.

Banned most non-resident foreigners from buying existing residential property in New Zealand. Australians and Singaporeans were exempt due to trade agreements. Aimed to reduce speculative demand driving up house prices.

Passed 63-57 (third reading 15 August 2018), Royal Assent 22 August 2018. Still in force. A 2025 change allows Active Investor Plus (golden visa) holders to buy or build a single home worth $5m or more.

Votes: 63-57

Required the government to set minimum standards for heating, insulation, ventilation, moisture, drainage, and draught stopping in rental homes. Required landlords to ensure rental homes could be warmed to at least 18°C. Passed with support from Labour, Greens, and NZ First against National and ACT opposition.

Passed 63-57, 30 November 2017. Royal Assent 4 December 2017. Andrew Little's members' bill — the Healthy Homes Guarantee (Warm Healthy Rentals) Bill No. 2. Standards remain in force under the current government.

Votes: 63-57

Addressed the growing problem of methamphetamine contamination in rental properties. Set standards for meth testing and decontamination, clarified landlord and tenant responsibilities, and established processes for properties found to be contaminated.

Passed 2017

Required all rental properties to have ceiling and underfloor insulation by July 2019 and working smoke alarms. A first step toward healthier homes, though critics said it didn't go far enough on heating, ventilation, or moisture standards.

Passed 2016

Addressed the 'leaky buildings' crisis by establishing the Financial Assistance Package (FAP) where central government contributed 25% of repair costs for eligible leaky homes. Also strengthened building consent processes and licensed building practitioner requirements.

Passed November 2013

Created 'Special Housing Areas' to fast-track housing developments and bypass normal resource consent processes, primarily in Auckland. Aimed to address the housing crisis by boosting supply, but critics said it undermined community input and environmental protections.

Passed September 2013. Expired September 2016 (sunset clause). Replaced by other housing mechanisms.

Ended the 'house for life' policy for state housing tenants by making all tenancies reviewable. Opened the door for community housing providers to take over state houses, which critics said was backdoor privatisation of social housing.

Passed 63-56, 2013

Votes: 63-56

Would cap annual rent increases and limit rents on new tenancies relative to area median rents. Aims to prevent landlords pricing out existing tenants through excessive increases.

In members' bill ballot. Greens' flagship housing policy.

Replaces the 1992 Mental Health Act with a rights-based compulsory-care framework: ends the use of seclusion for young people and tightens it for adults, strengthens supported decision-making and family involvement, introduces independent advocacy, raises the threshold for electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), and adds protections to keep mothers and babies together during compulsory care.

Passed 4 July 2026; comes into force in about two years. Replaces the Mental Health (Compulsory Assessment and Treatment) Act 1992.

Creates a dedicated legislative framework for how disability support services are funded and delivered, following the 2024 funding crisis at Whaikaha - Ministry of Disabled People - and the shift of disability support services to the Ministry of Social Development. It sets out purchasing rules, eligibility and oversight in statute rather than policy.

Introduced 2026; before select committee.

Establishes a review committee for decisions made by health practitioner registration authorities, and enables the Minister of Health to direct those authorities. Aimed at speeding up the registration of overseas-trained doctors, nurses and midwives to ease workforce shortages.

Introduced 2026; before select committee.

Would protect people from prosecution for low-level drug offences when they call 111 during an overdose. Aims to save lives by removing fear of arrest when seeking emergency help.

Drawn from ballot September 2025

Abolished Te Aka Whai Ora (Māori Health Authority) which was created to address Māori health inequities. Functions transferred back to Health NZ under a single system.

Passed under urgency, 28 February 2024

Repealed the world-first generational tobacco ban (which would have made it illegal to sell tobacco to anyone born after 2009). Reversed denicotinisation requirements.

Passed under urgency, 28 February 2024

Would have allowed local councils to regulate alcohol sales and trading hours, and banned alcohol advertising from sports events and broadcasts.

Defeated at first reading 5 April 2023 (89-30). Labour allowed a conscience vote but most Labour MPs voted against. National and ACT bloc-voted against.

Votes: 89-30. 17 Labour MPs including outgoing PM Ardern voted FOR alongside Greens and TPM.

World-first legislation making it illegal to sell tobacco to anyone born after 1 January 2009, creating a smokefree generation. Also required denicotinisation of cigarettes and reduced the number of tobacco retailers by 90%. Repealed before the generational ban could take effect.

Passed 76-43 (third reading 13 December 2022), Royal Assent 16 December 2022. REPEALED by incoming government February 2024 before taking full effect.

Votes: 76-43

Abolished all 20 District Health Boards and replaced them with a single national entity, Health New Zealand (Te Whatu Ora). Also created a standalone Māori Health Authority (Te Aka Whai Ora) to address Māori health inequities. The Māori Health Authority was disestablished in 2024.

Passed 77-42 (second reading 5 May 2022, third reading 7 June 2022), in force 1 July 2022. PARTIALLY REVERSED: Māori Health Authority (Te Aka Whai Ora) disestablished under urgency February 2024. Health NZ remains but under a government-appointed commissioner.

Votes: 77-42

Provided the legal framework for COVID-19 vaccine mandates in specified workplaces (health, education, border, corrections, police, fire, defence). Required affected workers to be vaccinated or lose their jobs. Highly controversial — supporters said it protected vulnerable people; opponents said it violated bodily autonomy.

Passed November 2021

Replaced the Alert Level system with the COVID-19 Protection Framework ('Traffic Light' system) of Red, Orange, and Green settings. Allowed vaccinated people greater freedoms, creating a two-tier system. Vaccine passes became required for hospitality, events, and gatherings under Red and Orange.

Passed November 2021. Established the Traffic Light (CPF) system.

Created Taumata Arowai, a new dedicated water services regulator, in response to the Havelock North campylobacter contamination (2016) that sickened over 5,000 people. Established national drinking water standards with real enforcement powers — previously, compliance was essentially voluntary for small suppliers.

Passed 2021. Established Taumata Arowai as the new water services regulator.

Provided the legal framework for New Zealand's COVID-19 response including lockdowns, border controls, and mandatory isolation. Gave the government powers to make enforceable health orders for up to 2 years. Controversial for the breadth of executive power it granted.

Passed 63-57, Royal Assent 13 May 2020. Passed under urgency in 2 days. COVID-19 orders expired and pandemic powers wound down.

Votes: 63-57

Decriminalised abortion by removing it from the Crimes Act. Allowed abortion on request up to 20 weeks of pregnancy. Replaced the previous system requiring two certifying consultants to approve an abortion on limited grounds.

Passed 68-51 (third reading, 18 March 2020). Conscience vote. Remains in force.

Votes: 68-51 (conscience vote). Labour: 37 FOR, 9 AGAINST. National: 18 FOR, 25 AGAINST. NZ First: 2 FOR, 7 AGAINST. Greens: all FOR. ACT: FOR. First reading 94-23, second reading 81-39.

Permits assisted dying for terminally ill adults expected to die within 6 months experiencing unbearable suffering. ACT's signature achievement - the first members' bill to pass via a binding public referendum. 65.1% voted yes (referendum held alongside the October 2020 general election).

Passed 69-51 (third reading, November 2019). Confirmed by referendum held with the October 2020 general election (results declared November 2020): 65.1% Yes. In force since November 2021.

Votes: 69-51 (conscience vote). National: 17 FOR, 38 AGAINST. Labour: 33 FOR, 13 AGAINST. Greens: all FOR. NZ First: all FOR. ACT: FOR.

Proposed legalising assisted dying for terminally ill adults. Passed its first reading in the 51st Parliament and was sent to select committee. Eventually passed in the 52nd Parliament and was approved by public referendum in 2020.

First reading passed 76-44 (December 2017). Passed 52nd Parliament 69-51 (November 2019). Approved by referendum held with the October 2020 general election (results declared November 2020): 65.1% yes. In force 7 November 2021.

Modernised the legal framework for compulsory treatment of severe substance addiction. Updated 50-year-old legislation to reflect modern health approaches, improved civil liberties protections for people under compulsory assessment, and aligned with the NZ Bill of Rights Act.

Passed 2017. Replaced the Alcoholism and Drug Addiction Act 1966.

Introduced plain packaging for all tobacco products sold in NZ, following Australia's lead. Removed branding and required standardised olive-green packaging with graphic health warnings. Supported by almost all parties except ACT.

Passed September 2016, near-unanimous support. In force 14 March 2018.

Modernised New Zealand's food safety regime with a risk-based approach. Higher-risk food businesses face more scrutiny, while lower-risk operations (like market stalls) have simplified requirements. Aligned NZ food standards with international best practice.

Passed June 2014. Replaced Food Act 1981.

World-first legislation creating a regulatory regime for synthetic drugs ('legal highs'), requiring manufacturers to prove products were low-risk before sale. Later amended to ban animal testing for product approval, effectively removing all approved products from the market.

Passed 119-1, Royal Assent 17 July 2013. Amended in 2014 to ban animal testing, effectively removing all approved products from the market.

Votes: 119-1

Replaced the Sale of Liquor Act 1989 with a modernised alcohol licensing regime. Gave local communities more say over alcohol outlet locations and trading hours, while stopping short of the tighter advertising and pricing controls recommended by the Law Commission.

Passed December 2012, broad cross-party support

Would expand the End of Life Choice Act 2019 to include people with unbearable suffering from non-terminal conditions (currently limited to terminal illness with less than 6 months to live).

Proposed - would expand eligibility criteria for assisted dying.

Re-established charter schools (partnership schools) that operate with public funding but outside normal state school regulations. Schools can set own curriculum and employment terms.

Passed 2024

Comprehensive overhaul replacing the Education Act 1989. Unified all education legislation into a single Act covering early childhood, schools, and tertiary education. Strengthened Te Tiriti obligations in education, improved governance frameworks, and established the Teaching Council as a statutory body. (Charter/partnership schools had already been closed earlier, by the Education Amendment Act 2018.)

Passed July 2020. Replaced the Education Act 1989.

Removed the charter/partnership school model (established by the previous National-ACT government) from education law, requiring partnership schools to either integrate into the state system or close. Re-established by the incoming government in 2024. (The later Education and Training Act 2020 was a separate consolidation statute.)

Passed 2018 (third reading 10 May 2018). REVERSED: charter schools re-established by the Education and Training Amendment Act 2024, then expanded with 20-year contracts under the Education and Training (System Reform) Amendment Act 2025 (passed 23 June 2026).

Updated education legislation including changes to school governance, Communities of Learning (Kahui Ako) leadership roles, and provisions for digital learning. Part of National's broader education reform agenda emphasising school collaboration and shared expertise.

Passed 2017

Established 'partnership schools' (charter schools/kura hourua), publicly funded but privately run schools with fewer regulations. An ACT policy concession that was strongly opposed by teachers' unions and later repealed by the Labour government in 2018.

First reading passed 63-56 (October 2012), Royal Assent June 2013. Repealed by Labour government in 2018, then re-established by National in 2024.

Votes: 62-57

Tightened student loan repayment obligations, particularly for overseas-based borrowers. Increased repayment rates, gave IRD greater enforcement powers including arrest at the border for defaulters, and reduced eligibility for student allowances (restricting access for over-40s and postgraduate students).

Passed 2013

A package of criminal law changes delivering National and NZ First coalition commitments. It creates new offences for assaulting first responders - paramedics, firefighters and corrections officers - carrying up to 3 years, or 7 years for grievous bodily harm with intent; three new 'coward punch' offences for one-punch attacks (up to 8 years, 15 if GBH was intended, life if fatal); an on-the-spot shoplifting infringement regime ($500 for goods under $500, $1,000 above that); higher theft penalties; and trafficking and people-smuggling penalties lifted from 14 to 20 years. It also expands citizen's arrest powers, allowing anyone to use reasonable force to detain a person committing a Crimes Act offence at any time of day.

Third reading 6 August 2026 (the debate began 4 August). Most provisions, including the new citizen's arrest powers, came into force in mid-August 2026.

Replaces the Arms Act 1983 and rewrites the firearms regulatory framework: it moves firearms regulation out of Police into a new independent regulator, Firearms Safety and Education New Zealand; disqualifies gang members from holding a licence; establishes an independent firearms licensing review committee; and creates a statutory 'red flag' information-sharing system.

Passed third reading 29 July 2026; most provisions in force 23 September 2026. Replaces the Arms Act 1983.

Updates New Zealand's anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing framework to meet international standards and address emerging risks in digital finance and complex corporate structures.

Assented 2026. Updates the AML/CFT Act 2009.

Would let Police issue a 'move-on order' requiring a person to leave a public place for up to 24 hours where they are behaving in a disorderly or intimidating way. Aimed at antisocial behaviour in town centres without requiring an arrest or a charge.

Introduced 2026; before select committee.

Extends how long a trespass warning lasts and strengthens the powers of retail and hospitality operators to issue and enforce them, including across multiple premises in a chain. Part of the Government's retail crime package alongside the Crimes Amendment Act 2026.

Introduced 2026; before select committee.

Updates the Serious Fraud Office's search warrant powers and adds procedures for remote access to digital material, modernising an investigative framework written before cloud storage and encrypted devices were common.

Introduced 2026; before select committee.

Replaces the Courts (Remote Participation) Act 2010 with a new framework governing when participants can appear by audio-visual link, and the rules and procedures that apply. Intended to cut delays and transport costs, particularly for prisoners appearing from custody.

Introduced 2026; before select committee.

Expands the jurisdiction of Community Magistrates in the District Court so they can deal with a wider range of lower-level matters, freeing District Court judges for more serious work. A response to court backlogs.

Introduced 2026; before select committee.

Would create a specific offence for trespassing on or obstructing a state highway, major bridge or tunnel in a way that causes significant disruption. Follows protest actions that closed the Auckland Harbour Bridge and other arterial routes.

Introduced 2026; awaiting first reading.

Would make a convicted killer's refusal to reveal the location of their victim's remains an aggravating factor at sentencing - New Zealand's version of what is known internationally as 'no body, no parole'. Modelled on similar laws in several Australian states.

Introduced 2026; awaiting first reading.

Would stop public funding reaching organisations with gang ties. References $2.75 million Labour government gave to a rehabilitation programme with gang connections.

Drawn from ballot April 2026

Amends the Crimes Act 1961 to create new criminal offences for virginity testing and the related practice of hymenoplasty, carrying a maximum penalty of five years' imprisonment. Aimed at protecting vulnerable women and girls from coercive practices.

Drawn from ballot 30 April 2026; awaiting first reading

Extends eligibility for the Criminal Records (Clean Slate) scheme to people who have served a custodial sentence of up to 12 months, and to those disqualified from driving for repeat offences, provided they have not reoffended for 10 years. Currently both groups are permanently excluded from having convictions concealed.

Drawn from ballot 30 April 2026; awaiting first reading

Expands the definition of intimate visual recordings to include AI-generated deepfakes under the Harmful Digital Communications Act. Criminalises creating and sharing non-consensual deepfake pornography.

Before select committee (submissions closed 19 June 2026)

Restored three-strikes sentencing for 42 serious offences. Third strike for qualifying offences means maximum sentence without parole. Aimed at repeat violent and sexual offenders.

Passed 17 December 2024, in force June 2025

Votes: First reading 68-55; Third reading 68-43

Extended evidence protections for sexual assault and family violence witnesses in Family Court proceedings. Prevents re-traumatisation through cross-examination.

Passed October 2024, expanded August 2025

Exempts domestic violence victims from the mandatory two-year separation waiting period before they can obtain a divorce. Victims can apply immediately.

Passed October 2024 - unanimous support

Banned gang insignia in public places, created police dispersal powers and non-consorting orders. Allows police to order gang members to leave areas and ban contact between them.

Commenced 23 September 2024

Votes: First reading ~68-55 (party lines); Third reading 68-55 (party lines)

Allows police to issue Firearms Prohibition Orders against individuals deemed dangerous, enabling warrantless searches of those people and their associates. Primarily targets gang members.

Passed September 2024, in force March 2025. Expanded the Firearms Prohibition Orders regime created by Labour's 2022 Act (member in charge then: Poto Williams), broadening police search powers.

Prevents victims of crime and those with protection orders from being contacted by prisoners. Stops intimidation and harassment from behind bars.

Passed first reading unanimously March 2024; before select committee (not yet enacted)

Would prevent prisoners from being considered for parole if they haven't completed required rehabilitative programmes. Aims to ensure offenders are actually rehabilitated before release.

In committee since February 2024 - committee couldn't agree on passing it in original form

Removed the three strikes sentencing law. Labour argued it led to disproportionate sentences, particularly for Māori. The incoming government reinstated it in 2024.

Passed 77-42 (third reading, August 2022, 53rd Parliament). REINSTATED by coalition government December 2024.

Votes: 77-42

Bans conversion therapy targeting sexual orientation and gender identity. Up to 5 years imprisonment for practices causing serious harm. Most National MPs voted in favour (conscience vote).

Passed 112-8 (third reading 15 February 2022), Royal Assent 18 February 2022. Conscience vote. Remains in force.

Votes: 112-8 (conscience vote). 8 National MPs opposed: Bridges, Brown, Reti, Lee, McClay, O'Connor, Penk, Woodhouse. ~25 National MPs voted FOR.

Strengthened the classification regime to enable rapid interim classification of harmful content (like the Christchurch shooting livestream). Increased penalties for sharing objectionable material online. Part of the Christchurch Call response to prevent the use of the internet for terrorist and violent extremist content.

Passed June 2021. Response to Christchurch mosque shootings.

A draft bill to legalise and regulate cannabis for adults over 20 was put to a non-binding referendum alongside the 2020 general election. It would have created a licensed market with age restrictions and potency limits. Narrowly defeated with 50.7% voting against.

Rejected at referendum, 17 October 2020. 50.7% No, 48.4% Yes. Non-binding referendum.

Votes: 50.7% No - 48.4% Yes (referendum)

Would legalise and regulate cannabis for adult use. Creates a licensed market with age restrictions, potency limits, and tax revenue. Removes criminal penalties for personal use.

In members' bill ballot - not yet drawn. Previously rejected in 2020 referendum (50.7% No).

Second tranche of firearms reforms creating a national firearms register, strengthening the licensing regime, tightening rules on imports and manufacturing, and introducing new offences. More controversial than the first bill, with National opposing.

Passed 63-50 at third reading (18 June 2020); the earlier 63-57 vote was the second reading. Royal Assent 24 June 2020. National and ACT opposed, arguing it overregulated legal firearms owners.

Votes: 63-50 (third reading)

Replaced the 1993 Act with strengthened privacy protections. Introduced mandatory breach notification requirements, gave the Privacy Commissioner power to issue compliance notices, and created new criminal offences for misleading agencies in ways that affect individuals' privacy.

Passed June 2020. Replaced the Privacy Act 1993. Development began under the 50th Parliament.

Banned military-style semi-automatic weapons (MSSAs) and assault rifles following the Christchurch mosque attacks that killed 51 people. Included a gun buyback that collected 64,000 firearms. Only ACT leader David Seymour voted against.

Passed 119-1, Royal Assent 11 April 2019. Enacted within 26 days of the Christchurch mosque attacks.

Votes: 119-1

Comprehensive rewrite of customs law, modernising border processes and expanding Customs' powers to search electronic devices at the border. Required travellers to provide passwords to electronic devices on request or face a $5,000 fine. Raised significant civil liberties concerns about digital privacy at the border.

Passed July 2018. Replaced the Customs and Excise Act 1996.

Comprehensive overhaul of NZ's intelligence agencies (GCSB and SIS), consolidating their legislation into a single Act. Introduced warrant-based authorisation for surveillance and new oversight mechanisms. Labour and NZ First supported it despite Green Party opposition.

Passed March 2017, broad cross-party support. Superseded the GCSB Act 2003 and NZSIS Act 1969.

Expanded electronic monitoring (ankle bracelet) use for offenders on bail and community-based sentences. Part of National's 'smart on crime' approach, aiming to reduce reoffending while managing prison costs.

Passed 2016

Created new criminal offences for harmful digital communications including cyberbullying, with penalties of up to two years' imprisonment. Established a regime for taking down harmful content. Prompted by the Roast Busters case and growing concerns about online harassment.

Passed 116-5, Royal Assent 2 July 2015.

Votes: 116-5

Required telecommunications companies to build interception capabilities into their networks and consult with the GCSB on network security. Passed as a companion bill to the GCSB Amendment, raising similar privacy and surveillance concerns.

Passed 61-59, Royal Assent November 2013. Later amended by Intelligence and Security Act 2017.

Votes: 61-59

Expanded the GCSB's powers to conduct surveillance on New Zealand residents and citizens, and to assist other agencies like the Police and SIS. Sparked mass public protests and was one of the most controversial surveillance bills in NZ history.

Passed 61-59 on 21 August 2013, Royal Assent 26 August 2013. Later superseded by Intelligence and Security Act 2017.

Votes: 61-59

Major overhaul of search and surveillance laws, consolidating powers from multiple statutes. Critics argued it gave police and agencies overly broad surveillance powers; supporters said it modernised outdated and fragmented laws.

Passed 61-57, Royal Assent April 2012

Votes: 61-57

Creates an absolute statutory bar on anyone - including the Crown - being found liable in tort for climate change or climate-related damage caused by greenhouse gas emissions. Unusually, it applies to cases already before the courts, which ends the long-running Smith v Fonterra claim brought by Mike Smith (Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Kahu) against seven major emitters. The emissions regulatory framework (the ETS, emissions budgets) is untouched.

First reading 30 June 2026; Justice Select Committee (submissions closed 13 July 2026); third reading 18 August 2026, 67-53.

Votes: 67-53

Introduces 'secondary use permits' allowing Crown pastoral lease holders to run activities beyond farming - tourism or renewable energy, for example - on leased high country land, and creates processes for reclassifying Crown land. It reverses part of the tighter pastoral lease regime introduced in 2022.

Introduced 2026; before select committee.

Reduces how often statutory environmental reports must be produced under the Environmental Reporting Act 2015, and changes their content to include the drivers of environmental change and future outlooks rather than state-of-the-environment snapshots alone. The Government says the current cycle is duplicative; critics say less frequent reporting means less accountability.

Introduced 2026; before select committee.

Streamlines applications to the Environmental Protection Authority under the HSNO Act - including recognising assessments already done by trusted overseas regulators - and strengthens compliance and enforcement powers. Intended to speed up access to newer, often safer agricultural and industrial chemicals.

Introduced 2026; before select committee.

Would allow disposal of conservation land deemed 'low value'. Environmental groups warn it could lead to mining or development on previously protected land.

Before Environment Select Committee (submissions closed 13 July 2026); committee report pending

Would grant legal personhood to whales in NZ waters, giving them legal standing and protections similar to Mount Taranaki. Aligns with Māori worldview of whales as taonga.

Lodged February 2026 - follows Taranaki Maunga legal personhood precedent

Abolished the standalone Ministry for the Environment. Functions absorbed into a combined Ministry of Cities, Environment, Regions and Transport. Critics say it downgrades environmental protection.

Passed 27 May 2026, in force 1 July 2026. Amends the Environment Act 1986 to transfer the Ministry's functions as part of a machinery-of-government change.

Would ban all mining on public conservation land managed by the Department of Conservation.

Drawn from ballot May 2026

A Green members' bill that would prohibit all new mining, prospecting and exploration permits across New Zealand's ~8.5 million hectares of public conservation land, and require surrender of mining permits where protected wildlife species are found in a permit area. The Greens say it closes a loophole that gives mining a 'special pass' among commercial activities on conservation land.

Drawn from the members' ballot, May 2026 (announced 21 May 2026); awaiting first reading

Would have compelled manufacturers to ensure repair facilities and spare parts are available in NZ. Aimed to reduce e-waste and give consumers the right to fix products they own.

Discharged October 2025 - Davidson missed speaking slot by 20 seconds (procedural failure, not voted down)

Reversed the 2018 ban on offshore oil and gas exploration. Changed the Crown Minerals Act purpose from 'managing' to 'promoting' mineral development. Opens NZ waters to new fossil fuel exploration.

Royal Assent 5 August 2025

Would reinstate the ban on new offshore oil and gas exploration permits that was repealed by the government in 2025. Aims to prevent new fossil fuel extraction in NZ waters.

In members' bill ballot. Would reverse the Crown Minerals Amendment Act 2025.

Would prevent local councils from considering climate change impacts when making resource consent decisions. Aims to remove what ACT calls ideological barriers to development.

Introduced July 2024

Required electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids to pay road user charges (previously exempt as an EV incentive). Adds ~$800/year cost for average EV driver.

Passed March 2024

Repealed the 'ute tax' - the clean car discount that subsidised EVs/hybrids by taxing high-emission vehicles. Removed financial incentive to buy electric vehicles.

Passed under urgency, 14 December 2023

Comprehensive replacement of the Resource Management Act 1991 - New Zealand's primary environmental law. Split resource management into separate environmental protection and spatial planning legislation. Had taken decades of failed attempts by multiple governments. Repealed within months by the incoming government.

Passed 72-47 (third reading 15 August 2023). REPEALED February 2024 within months of passage.

Votes: 72-47

Companion legislation to the Natural and Built Environment Act that replaced the RMA. Required regional spatial strategies setting out long-term (30+ year) visions for land use and infrastructure. Aimed to integrate planning across housing, transport, and environmental management. Repealed by the incoming National government in December 2023.

Passed August 2023. Companion to the Natural and Built Environment Act.

Would permanently ban seabed mining in New Zealand's Exclusive Economic Zone. Protects marine ecosystems from destructive mineral extraction on the ocean floor.

Te Pāti Māori members' bill prepared for the ballot (not yet drawn or introduced). An earlier version was defeated at first reading in May 2023.

Would have permanently banned seabed mining in NZ waters. Introduced after years of campaigning by Ngarewa-Packer against Trans-Tasman Resources' iron sand mining application off Taranaki coast.

Defeated at first reading 10 May 2023 (106-13). Labour, National and ACT all voted against despite Ngarewa-Packer's 8-year campaign. Only Greens, TPM, and independents Kerekere and Whaitiri supported.

Votes: 106-13

Tightened freedom camping rules by requiring self-contained vehicles to have fixed toilets (not portable) to camp on public land. Gave councils greater enforcement powers including instant fines. Aimed to address environmental damage and community concerns about irresponsible freedom camping, particularly by international tourists.

Passed March 2023. Replaced the Freedom Camping Act 2011.

Subsidised electric and hybrid vehicle purchases (up to $8,625 rebate) funded by fees on high-emission vehicles (dubbed the 'ute tax'). Aimed to accelerate New Zealand's transition to electric transport. Repealed by the incoming government as a cost burden on tradies and rural New Zealand.

In effect from July 2021. REPEALED under urgency December 2023 as the incoming government's first legislative actions.

Set a legally binding target of net zero carbon emissions by 2050 (with a separate, lower target for biogenic methane). Created the independent Climate Change Commission to advise government. Landmark cross-party climate legislation.

Passed 119-1, Royal Assent 13 November 2019. Near-unanimous cross-party support.

Votes: 119-1 (third reading 7 November 2019)

Banned the granting of new offshore oil and gas exploration permits as part of New Zealand's climate transition strategy. Existing permits were unaffected. Reversed by the National-led government in 2025.

Passed 63-57, Royal Assent 7 November 2018. REVERSED: Crown Minerals Amendment Act 2025 (Royal Assent 5 August 2025) reopened NZ for offshore oil and gas exploration.

Votes: 63-57

Major streamlining of the RMA covering planning, consenting and environmental regulation. Gave ministers power to override councils on housing development. Critics said it weakened environmental protections and community input, especially by limiting the Environmental Legal Assistance Fund.

Passed 61-60, April 2017. Later superseded by Natural and Built Environment Act 2023, which was itself repealed in 2024.

Votes: 61-60

Required regular, independent reporting on the state of New Zealand's environment across five domains: air, atmosphere and climate, freshwater, land, and marine. Established a framework for the Ministry for the Environment and Stats NZ to produce environmental reports, improving transparency on environmental trends.

Passed September 2015

Streamlined permitting for oil, gas and mineral exploration, including on conservation land. Controversially criminalised interference with mining and exploration vessels at sea, effectively targeting Greenpeace-style protests. Opposed by environmentalists and celebrities including Lucy Lawless.

Passed May 2013, Royal Assent 24 May 2013

Sets statutory grounds for recognising overseas adoption orders, provides for DNA testing where parentage is in question, and restricts the automatic citizenship consequences of an overseas adoption. Aimed at closing pathways that have been used to get around immigration rules, while still recognising genuine adoptions.

Introduced 2026; before select committee.

Restored NZ citizenship eligibility for Samoans born between 1924-1949 and their descendants. Addresses a historical wrong from the colonial period.

Royal Assent 25 November 2024

Strengthened protections against migrant worker exploitation. Introduced a stand-down period preventing exploitative employers from hiring new migrant workers, created a new offence for employers who withhold passports, and gave labour inspectors greater enforcement powers. Responded to widespread reports of migrant worker abuse.

Passed June 2023

Introduced powers to manage 'mass arrival groups' (including group warrants of commitment), expanded biometric data collection, increased penalties for people smuggling and immigration fraud, and improved information-sharing between agencies. Part of broader border-security tightening under the Key government.

Passed June 2013

Designates English as an official language of New Zealand alongside te reo Māori and New Zealand Sign Language. Fulfils a coalition agreement commitment with NZ First. Labour supported the bill reluctantly, calling it unnecessary but voting to 'move on from this needless culture war'. The Greens and Te Pāti Māori opposed it, arguing it was a dog-whistle that undermined te reo Māori revitalisation.

Royal Assent 6 August 2026. First reading 3 March 2026; second reading 21 July 2026 (101-20); third reading 30 July 2026.

Votes: 101-20

Settles New Zealand's longest-running land dispute, 180 years after it began. When the New Zealand Company bought land around Whakatū (Nelson) in the 1840s it agreed that one tenth - about 15,100 acres - would stay in Māori ownership; fewer than 3,000 acres were ever reserved. The Supreme Court ruled in 2017 that the Crown owed a duty to the customary owners, and the High Court found in 2024 that the land had belonged to them all along. This Act gives legal effect to the resulting settlement: 3,068 hectares returned - including the Kaiteriteri Recreation Reserve and part of the Abel Tasman Great Walk - plus $420 million in compensation, with title transferring to the Te Here-ā-Nuku trustees.

Introduced 22 June 2026 by Attorney-General Chris Bishop with Conservation Minister Tama Potaka; considered by the Finance and Expenditure Committee; passed unanimously at third reading on 18 August 2026.

Gives effect to the Treaty of Waitangi settlement between the Crown and Ngā Hapū o Te Iwi o Whanganui, including a Crown apology, cultural redress such as site transfers and place-name changes, and financial redress. Treaty settlement bills traditionally pass with cross-party support.

Introduced 2026; before select committee.

Exempts post-settlement governance entities - the trusts and companies that hold and manage Treaty settlement assets - from the supervisory jurisdiction of the Māori Land Court. The Government argues settled iwi should govern their own commercial assets without court oversight; some beneficiaries argue the Māori Land Court is their main avenue to hold trustees to account.

Introduced 2026; before select committee.

Would eliminate the Independent Māori Statutory Board that advises Auckland Council on Māori interests. Functions would transfer to the council itself.

Before Parliament (2026)

Would entrench the Māori electorates so that abolishing them requires either 75 percent of MPs or a majority at a referendum - the same protection that already applies to the term of Parliament, the voting age and the secret ballot. Lyndon's argument is that general electorate provisions are entrenched while the Māori seats are not, leaving them removable by a bare majority. The bill would also implement the Independent Electoral Review's 2023 recommendations allowing Māori to switch rolls at any time and to use a different roll for local elections. A near-identical bill from Labour's Rino Tirikatene was voted down at second reading in 2019 after NZ First withdrew support.

Announced at Rātana in January 2026 and lodged in the members' bill ballot.

Raised the threshold for Māori customary marine title claims over foreshore and seabed areas. Made it harder for iwi to establish exclusive use rights over coastal areas.

Passed at third reading 21 October 2025 (member in charge: Paul Goldsmith, Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations)

Would have defined Treaty principles in legislation and put them to a binding referendum. ACT's flagship policy - aimed to settle the role of the Treaty in law. Defeated when National and NZ First voted against it at second reading as agreed in coalition deal.

Defeated at second reading, 10 April 2025 (11-112)

Votes: First reading 68-54 (coalition agreed to first reading only); Second reading 11-112

Granted legal personhood to Mount Taranaki (like the Whanganui River). Crown apology to eight Taranaki iwi. Establishes a governance entity for the mountain.

Passed January 2025

Required binding referendums before councils can establish Māori wards or constituencies. Previously councils could create Māori wards without a public vote.

Passed 30 July 2024

Allowed councils to establish Māori wards or constituencies through a council resolution, removing the previous provision that allowed binding citizen-initiated referendums to veto Māori wards. Supporters said Māori representation shouldn't be subject to a popular vote; opponents called it undemocratic.

Passed March 2023

Amendment to the 2014 Act governing the Auckland volcanic cones (Tūpuna Maunga) managed by the Tūpuna Maunga Authority. Recognised the cultural significance of Auckland's volcanic landscape to the 13 iwi and hapū of mana whenua.

Passed 2022 with cross-party support. Builds on the original 2014 Ngā Mana Whenua o Tāmaki Makaurau Collective Redress Act which transferred the 14 volcanic cones.

Replaced Labour's controversial Foreshore and Seabed Act 2004 with a new framework allowing Māori to seek 'customary marine title' through the courts or direct negotiation. A key Māori Party coalition concession that satisfied neither side - Māori groups said it was too restrictive, while opponents said it gave away public rights.

Passed 63-56, Royal Assent March 2011. Amended 2025 by Marine and Coastal Area (Takutai Moana) (Customary Marine Title) Amendment Act.

Votes: 63-56

Would protect traditional haka and cultural performances from commercial exploitation without iwi consent. Prevents businesses using haka for advertising or entertainment without permission.

In members' bill ballot.

Would allow Māori voters to switch between the Māori and general electoral rolls at any time, rather than only during the Māori Electoral Option period after each census.

In members' bill ballot. Would allow Māori to switch rolls at any time.

Replaces the Civil Defence Emergency Management Act 2002 and implements the recommendations of the inquiry into the 2023 North Island severe weather events (Cyclone Gabrielle and the Auckland Anniversary floods). It gives local communities and iwi guaranteed places at the emergency management decision-making table, requires engagement on local and national plans, and improves animal welfare provisions during emergencies. The August 2026 amendment would let Emergency Management Committees take precautionary action - clearing debris, opening river mouths - in the days before a severe weather event, without waiting for a state of emergency to be declared.

Introduced December 2025; select committee reported back 5 June 2026. On 20 August 2026 the Government announced a further amendment to be added before it passes.

Increases transparency in the gas market by requiring enhanced information disclosure from gas producers, wholesalers, and retailers. Designed to improve market efficiency and support better pricing signals as New Zealand transitions away from fossil gas.

Assented 2026. Amends the Gas Act 1992 to improve information disclosure in the gas market.

Two bills replacing the Resource Management Act 1991. The Planning Bill consolidates more than 100 existing plans into 17 regional combined plans and aims to remove the need for up to 46% of resource consents; the Natural Environment Bill sets science-based limits for freshwater, coastal water, land, soil and biodiversity. Officials estimate savings of $13.3 billion over 30 years in administrative and compliance costs.

First reading 16 December 2025; before select committee

Created a permanent fast-track consent regime for major infrastructure, housing and development projects. Ministers can refer projects to expert panels that bypass normal RMA processes.

Royal Assent 23 December 2024

Votes: First reading 68-55; Third reading along party lines

Repealed Three Waters reform - returned water infrastructure management to local councils rather than four national entities. Councils now develop their own service delivery plans.

Passed under urgency, 14 February 2024

Restructured the Three Waters reform from 4 large entities into 10 regionally-based entities, responding to widespread local government opposition. Retained the principle of separating water service delivery from councils but gave communities greater say. Subsequently repealed entirely by the incoming National-led government.

Passed August 2023. Reformed the Three Waters model into 10 entities.

Established a national standard for self-containment certification for campervans and motorhomes. Required vehicles to meet specific plumbing, waste, and water standards to be certified as self-contained, replacing the previous voluntary system. Supported the Freedom Camping Act reforms.

Passed 2023

Created four publicly-owned regional water entities to take over drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater management from councils. Aimed to address decades of underinvestment in water infrastructure. Highly controversial due to co-governance provisions giving iwi a role. Repealed by the incoming government.

Passed 64-50 (7 December 2022) under urgency. Labour used its majority - the only time in MMP history a government passed major legislation with sole party support. Greens and TPM voted against on anti-privatisation grounds. REPEALED 14 February 2024.

Votes: 64-50 (Labour's sole majority - unprecedented under MMP)

Introduced compulsory random oral fluid (saliva) drug testing for drivers, similar to existing random breath testing for alcohol. Targeted THC, methamphetamine, MDMA, and opiates. Aimed to reduce drug-impaired driving, which was a factor in around 28% of fatal crashes.

Passed March 2022. Introduced compulsory drug testing at roadside.

Created a new funding mechanism allowing infrastructure costs to be spread over longer periods through levies on benefiting properties. Aimed at unlocking housing development by enabling councils and developers to fund bulk infrastructure (water, transport, community facilities) without ratepayer burden upfront.

Passed August 2020

Lowered the adult breath alcohol limit from 400mcg to 250mcg (blood alcohol from 0.08 to 0.05). A long-overdue road safety measure that brought NZ into line with most other developed countries.

Passed 2014, effective December 2014

Enabled the structural separation of Telecom NZ into Spark (retail) and Chorus (network). Created the regulatory framework for the Ultra-Fast Broadband (UFB) rollout, one of the largest infrastructure projects in NZ history, delivering fibre to 87% of the population.

Passed June 2011

Calls for New Zealand government to impose sanctions against Israel regarding the conflict in Gaza.

Introduced December 2024 - highly controversial

Enabled New Zealand's entry into the CPTPP — the successor agreement negotiated after the United States withdrew from the original TPPA in 2017. Signed in March 2018 and ratified in October 2018 under the Labour–NZ First government (National also supporting; the Greens opposed). Distinct from the original Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement Amendment Act 2016, which the then-opposition Labour, Greens and NZ First had voted against.

CPTPP signed March 2018; NZ ratified October 2018 under the Labour–NZ First coalition government, with National also voting in support.

A New Zealand First members' bill that would establish practical accessibility standards to identify, prevent and remove avoidable barriers in the design of new infrastructure and public services (schools, hospitals, transport hubs, public buildings, social housing, footpaths, parks and digital services). NZ First cites the 2023 Census finding that 17% of New Zealanders are disabled and argues closing the disability employment gap alone could add $578 million to GDP.

Lodged as a members' bill 8 July 2026

Would require public service agencies to align their administrative regions with local authority boundaries. At present a single district can sit across different regions for health, police, education and civil defence, which complicates coordination and makes regional data hard to compare.

Introduced 2026; awaiting first reading.

Would clarify the division of responsibilities between elected members (governance) and council chief executives and staff (management) in the Local Government Act. It responds to disputes in several councils about councillors directing staff, or staff acting without a mandate.

Introduced 2026; awaiting first reading.

Establishes a statutory redress scheme responding to the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care (which estimated up to 200,000 people were abused in state and faith-based care 1950-2019). A redress officer decides eligibility; successful claimants receive a financial payment, a formal apology from the relevant state agency, access to their care records, and counselling/wellbeing support. Officials expect roughly 3,500 claims in the first year; survivor groups said it falls short of what was promised.

Third reading passed 25 June 2026

Would legally define 'woman' as 'adult human biological female' and 'man' as 'adult human biological male' in the Legislation Act. Part of global 'gender critical' legislative movement.

Passed first reading May 2026; submissions closed 2 July 2026

Allowed alcohol sales on Good Friday, Anzac Day afternoon and Christmas Day. Modernises liquor licensing laws that dated from the 1980s.

Passed April 2026

Votes: 66-56 - conscience vote split parties internally.

Legalised online casinos operating in New Zealand. Previously NZ residents gambled on offshore unregulated sites. Creates a licensing regime with harm minimisation requirements.

Passed April 2026

Phases out greyhound racing in New Zealand by August 2026. Bans killing of healthy greyhounds. Both major party leaders agreed to the ban during the 2023 election debate. First reading was unanimous; ACT later switched to opposing.

Passed 112-11, April 2026. Phase-out by August 2026. 74.8% public support.

Votes: 112-11 - ACT was the sole party opposing the final reading after initially supporting at first reading.

Would amend the Constitution Act 1986 and the Electoral Act 1993 to allow a maximum four-year parliamentary term, but only if a majority of voters approve it in a binding referendum. Section 17 of the Constitution Act is entrenched, so changing it needs either 75 percent of MPs or a referendum. Referendums on a four-year term were defeated in 1967 and 1990. The bill grew out of a David Seymour member's bill from the 52nd Parliament and had near-unanimous first-reading support before stalling.

First reading 5 March 2025, 117-6; reported back by the Justice Committee. In February 2026 the Government decided not to advance it this term - the planned referendum alongside the 2026 election was abandoned, and the bill will lapse at dissolution unless revived next term.

Votes: 117-6

Reduced voter registration timeframe to 2 weeks before election. Banned prisoner voting. Increased anonymous donation threshold. Critics say it suppresses voting among transient and marginalised populations.

Passed 16 December 2025 (member in charge: Minister of Justice Paul Goldsmith)

Would apply NZ animal welfare standards to imported agricultural products - banning imports produced using battery cages and gestation crates.

Introduced May 2025

Would ban access to social media platforms for people under 16. Part of global trend (Australia passed similar law). ACT's libertarian opposition prevented it being a government bill.

Awaiting first reading (introduced May 2025 - ACT refused to support as government bill, so introduced as members' bill)

Allows company directors to remove home addresses from public company registers to prevent harassment and stalking.

Passed November 2024 - cross-party support

Would create a fair use exception allowing copyrighted works to be used for parody, satire, and memes without permission. Modernises NZ copyright law for the internet age.

Drawn from ballot November 2024

Required government agencies to use clear, plain language in public-facing documents. New Zealand became only the second country (after Sweden) to pass plain language legislation. Aimed to improve public understanding of government information, benefiting those with lower literacy, non-native English speakers, and disabled people.

Passed October 2022

Replaced the State Sector Act 1988. Renamed the 'state sector' the 'public service', strengthened the role of the Public Service Commissioner, and enabled greater cross-agency collaboration. Required public service leaders to develop and maintain the capability and capacity of the public service, including around diversity.

Passed August 2020. Replaced the State Sector Act 1988.

Provided for two binding postal referendums on changing the NZ flag. Cost $26 million. The public ultimately voted 56.6% to keep the existing flag. Critics called it a vanity project by John Key; supporters said it was a legitimate democratic exercise.

Passed August 2015. First referendum Nov-Dec 2015, second March 2016. Public voted 56.6% to keep existing flag.

Narrowed the purpose of local government, reformed council reorganisation processes, and increased fiscal transparency requirements. Critics said it reduced councils' ability to promote community wellbeing, while supporters said it focused councils on core services.

Passed August 2014. Purpose of local government subsequently broadened again by Labour in 2019 to restore community wellbeing provisions.

Reformed the public service to enable greater cross-agency collaboration. Introduced 'functional leadership' roles allowing designated chief executives to set standards across all agencies in areas like ICT, procurement, and property. Part of National's Better Public Services programme targeting measurable results.

Passed July 2013. Part of 'Better Public Services' programme.

Allowed SkyCity to operate additional gambling tables and machines in exchange for building the New Zealand International Convention Centre in Auckland. Critics called it a 'dirty deal' that would increase problem gambling to fund a convention centre.

Passed November 2013

Legalised same-sex marriage in New Zealand, making it one of the first countries in the Asia-Pacific to do so. A conscience vote saw support from all Green, ACT, United Future, Mana and Māori Party MPs, 91% of Labour MPs, and 44% of National MPs. NZ First voted unanimously against.

Passed 77-44 on 17 April 2013, Royal Assent 19 April 2013. In force from 19 August 2013.

Votes: 77-44

Granted the government extraordinary powers to manage Christchurch's earthquake recovery, including the ability to override existing legislation. Replaced the 2010 Act after the devastating February 2011 earthquake. Criticised for concentrating too much power in the Minister.

Passed 111-11 (all three readings on 12 April 2011), Royal Assent 18 April 2011. Expired April 2016, replaced by Greater Christchurch Regeneration Act 2016.

Votes: 111-11