Infrastructure, development and primary sector national direction

Closes 27 Jul 2025

Opened 29 May 2025

Overview

The Government is calling for feedback on proposals to change and inform development of national direction under the resource management system. 

Package 1: Infrastructure and development   

The Government’s aim is to make it easier for councils to plan and deliver infrastructure. This package contains proposals for four new national direction instruments and amendments to four existing national direction instruments.  
 
Instruments in Package 1: Infrastructure and development:

  • New National Policy Statement for Infrastructure  
  • Amendments to the National Policy Statement for Renewable Electricity Generation 
  • Amendments to the National Policy Statement on Electricity Transmission (change title to the National Policy Statement for Electricity Networks) 
  • Amendments to the National Environmental Standards for Electricity Transmission Activities (change title to National Environmental Standards for Electricity Network Activities) 
  • Amendments to the National Environmental Standards for Telecommunication Facilities 
  • New National Environmental Standards for Granny Flats  
  • New National Environmental Standards for Papakāinga  
  • New National Policy Statement for Natural Hazards  

Read the package 1: infrastructure and development discussion document

Previous proposals to amend the National Policy Statement for Renewable Electricity Generation 2011, the National Policy Statement on Electricity Transmission 2008 and a proposed National Policy Statement for Natural Hazards Decision-Making have been withdrawn. Read the full public notice.

Package 2: Primary sector  

The Government’s aim is to enable growth in the primary sector by making changes to eight existing national direction instruments.  

Instruments in Package 2: Infrastructure and development:

  • Amendments to the National Environmental Standards for Marine Aquaculture  
  • Amendments to the National Environmental Standards for Commercial Forestry 
  • Amendments to the New Zealand Coastal Policy Statement  
  • Amendments to the National Policy Statement for Highly Productive Land  
  • Amendments to the Stock Exclusion Regulations  
  • Amendments to the mining and quarrying provisions in: 
    • National Policy Statement for Indigenous Biodiversity  
    • National Policy Statement for Highly Productive Land  
    • National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management   
    • National Environmental Standards for Freshwater.

Read the package 2: primary sector discussion document

See the interim Regulatory Impact Statements for national direction

Other consultations

We are consulting on other proposals for national direction:

Webinars

We are running online webinars on Package 1, 2 and 3 and to answer questions.  We recommend checking this page regularly for any updates to information on webinars.

These webinars will be recorded and made available online.

Webinars Date Time Intended audience Registration link
Webinar 1 – Package 1: Infrastructure and development Wednesday 4 June 10.30am - 11.30 am  Intended for local government, Post Settlement Governance Entities, and resource management practitioners. Register here
Webinar 2 – Package 2: Primary sector and Package 3: Freshwater Thursday 5 June 1pm - 2.30pm Intended for local government, Post Settlement Governance Entities, and resource management practitioners. Register here
Webinar 3 – Package 1: Infrastructure and development Tuesday 10 June  10am - 11 am  Intended for a general audience. Register here
Webinar 4 – Package 2: Primary sector and Package 3: Freshwater Wednesday 11 June  10.30am - 12pm  Intended for a general audience. Register here

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