Freshwater national direction
Overview
The Government is consulting on proposals to amend the:
- National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management 2020 (NPS-FM)
- Resource Management (National Environmental Standards for Freshwater) Regulations 2020 (NES-F)
Further consultation will be undertaken through an exposure draft process, which will have more detail, later this year.
We are seeking feedback on proposals including:
- Rebalancing freshwater management through multiple objectives
- Rebalancing Te Mana o te Wai
- Providing flexibility in the National Objectives Framework
- Enabling commercial vegetable growing
- Addressing water security and water storage
- Simplifying wetlands provisions
- Simplifying fish passage regulations
- Addressing remaining issues with the farmer-facing regulations (ie, synthetic nitrogen fertiliser)
- Including mapping requirements for drinking water sources.
Your feedback is also sought on whether proposed changes should be implemented now under the RMA, or incorporated into the upcoming RMA replacement legislation.
Read the package 3: Freshwater discussion document
See the interim Regulatory Impact Statements for national direction
Other consultations
We are consulting on other proposals for national direction:
- Consultation on infrastructure, development, and primary sector.
- Consultation on going for housing growth: Providing for urban development in the new resource management system
Note proposed changes to the Resource Management (Stock Exclusion) Regulations 2020 and specific amendments to freshwater national direction instruments relating to quarrying and mining only are set out in Package 2: Primary sector.
Webinars
We hosted four online webinars on the proposals in packages 1, 2 and 3 and to answer questions.
Package 1 - Infrastructure and development
View Package 1- Infrastructure and development
Slide pack for Package 1 (PDF, 1MB)
Package 2: Primary sector and Package 3: Freshwater
View Package 2: Primary sector and Package 3: Freshwater
Start the video at the freshwater section
Slide pack for - Package 2 and 3 (PDF, 1MB)
Webinar questions and answers
See responses to most questions asked during webinars.
| Forums | Date | Time | Intended audience/topic | Registration link |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| National Direction Forum 1 - Infrastructure | Tuesday 17 June | 10am - 11am | Opportunity to ask questions about various aspects of the new NPS Infrastructure and NES Telecommunications Facilities. | Register here |
| National Direction Forum 2 - Energy | Wednesday 18 June | 10am - 11am | Covers proposals to change energy national direction, under section 46A of the Resource Management Act. | Register here |
| National Direction Forum 3 - Coastal Marine | Wednesday 18 June | 2pm - 3pm | Covers proposals to change the NZ Coastal Marine Policy Statement 2010 and the National Environmental Statement for Aquaculture. | Register here |
| National Direction Forum 4 - Commercial Forestry | Monday 23 June | 2pm - 3pm | Covers proposals to change the National Environmental Standards for Commercial Forestry, under section 46A of the Resource Management Act. | Register here |
| National Direction Forum 5 - Housing Development | Tuesday 24 June | 2pm - 3pm |
Covers proposals to create or change housing national direction, under section 46A of the Resource Management Act. |
Register here |
| National Direction Forum 6 - Natural Hazards | Wednesday 25 June | 10am - 11am | Covers proposals to create a new National Policy Statement for Natural Hazards, under section 46A of the Resource Management Act. | Register here |
| National Direction Forum 7 - Quarrying and Mining | Thursday 26 June | 10am - 11am | Covers proposals to change national direction that impacts the quarrying and mining sectors, under section 46A of the Resource Management Act. | Register here |
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