Environment (Disestablishment of Ministry for the Environment) Amendment Act 2026
Checking for alerts... Loading...
Environment (Disestablishment of Ministry for the Environment) Amendment Act 2026
Public Act |
2026 No 22 |
|
Date of assent |
2 June 2026 |
|
Commencement |
see section 2 |
Contents
The Parliament of New Zealand enacts as follows:
1 Title
This Act is the Environment (Disestablishment of Ministry for the Environment) Amendment Act 2026.
2 Commencement
This Act comes into force on 1 July 2026.
3 Principal Act
This Act amends the Environment Act 1986.
Part 1 Amendments to principal Act
4 Long Title amended
In the Long Title, repeal paragraph (b).
5 Section 2 amended (Interpretation)
(1)
In section 2, definition of consent, paragraph (a), replace “the Schedule”
with “Schedule 2”
.
(2)
In section 2, repeal the definition of Minister.
(3)
In section 2, repeal the definition of Ministry.
(4)
In section 2, replace the definition of Secretary with:
Secretary or Secretary for the Environment means the chief executive of the Ministry
6 New section 2A inserted (Transitional, savings, and related provisions)
After section 2, insert:
2A Transitional, savings, and related provisions
The transitional, savings, and related provisions set out in Schedule 1 have effect according to their terms.
7 Part 2 heading replaced
Replace the Part 2 heading with:
Part 2 Secretary for the Environment
8 Section 28 repealed (Ministry for the Environment)
Repeal section 28.
9 Section 29 replaced (Secretary for the Environment)
Replace section 29 with:
29 Secretary for the Environment responsible to Minister
The Secretary for the Environment is responsible to the Minister for—
(a)
the performance of their functions under section 31; and
(b)
ensuring compliance with section 32.
10 Section 30 repealed (Other officers and employees of Ministry)
Repeal section 30.
11 Section 31 amended (Functions of Ministry)
(1)
Replace the heading to section 31 with “Functions of Secretary for the Environment”
.
(2)
In section 31, replace “The Ministry shall have”
with “The Secretary has”
.
(3)
In section 31(c)(i), replace “the Schedule”
with “Schedule 2”
.
(4)
In section 31(g), replace “the Ministry by any enactment”
with “the Secretary by an Act listed in Schedule 3”
.
12 Section 32 amended (Matters to which regard to be given)
In section 32, replace “Ministry’s functions, every officer and employee of the Ministry, so far as is practicable, shall”
with “Secretary’s functions, the Secretary must, as far as practicable,”
.
13 Section 33 amended (Committees)
In section 33(1), replace “Ministry”
with “Secretary”
.
14 New section 34 inserted (Reporting)
After section 33, insert:
34 Reporting
(1)
The Secretary must, as soon as practicable after the end of a financial year, report to the Minister on how the Secretary has performed their functions under section 31 in that financial year.
(2)
The Secretary’s report must be included in the annual report of the Ministry for that financial year.
(3)
In this section,—
annual report of the Ministry means the annual report that—
(a)
the Ministry is required to prepare under section 43 of the Public Finance Act 1989; and
(b)
must be presented to the House of Representatives, and published, under section 44 of that Act
financial year has the meaning given in section 2(1) of the Public Finance Act 1989.
15 New Schedule 1 inserted
Insert the Schedule 1 set out in Schedule 1 of this Act as the first schedule to appear after the last section of the principal Act.
16 Schedule heading replaced
Replace the Schedule heading with:
Schedule 2 Acts under which consents may be granted
ss 2, 31(c)(i)
17 New Schedule 3 inserted
After the Schedule, insert as Schedule 3 the schedule set out in Schedule 2 of this Act.
Part 2 Amendments to other Acts
18 Amendments to other Acts
Amend the Acts specified in Schedule 3 as set out in that schedule.
Schedule 1 New Schedule 1 inserted
Schedule 1 Transitional, savings, and related provisions
s 2A
Part 1 Provisions relating to Environment (Disestablishment of Ministry for the Environment) Amendment Act 2026
1 Ministry for the Environment disestablished
The Ministry for the Environment is disestablished.
2 First report
The first report under section 34 must be made for the financial year that begins on 1 July 2026.
Schedule 2 New Schedule 3 inserted
Schedule 3 Other Acts that may confer functions on Secretary
s 31(g)
Climate Change Response Act 2002
Exclusive Economic Zone and Continental Shelf (Environmental Effects) Act 2012
Fast-track Approvals Act 2024
Fiordland (Te Moana o Atawhenua) Marine Management Act 2005
Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act 1996
Resource Management Act 1991
Waste Minimisation Act 2008
Schedule 3 Amendments to other Acts
Commerce Act 1986 (1986 No 5)
In Schedule 7, replace clause 37(5)(c) with:
(c)
the department, departmental agency, or interdepartmental venture (as named in Part 1, 2, or 4 of Schedule 2 of the Public Service Act 2020) that, with the authority of the Prime Minister, is responsible for administering the Environment Act 1986, including any statutory officer who carries out work for that entity:
Fast-track Approvals Act 2024 (2024 No 56)
In section 103, definition of administering agency, replace “the Ministry for the Environment”
with “the chief executive of the department that, with the authority of the Prime Minister, is responsible for administering the Resource Management Act 1991”
.
Fiordland (Te Moana o Atawhenua) Marine Management Act 2005 (2005 No 36)
In section 4(1), definition of management agency, replace paragraph (b) with:
(b)
the department, departmental agency, or interdepartmental venture (as named in Part 1, 2, or 4 of Schedule 2 of the Public Service Act 2020) that, with the authority of the Prime Minister, is responsible for administering the Environment Act 1986:
Goods and Services Tax Act 1985 (1985 No 141)
In section 5(6AC)(b), replace “Secretary for the Ministry for the Environment”
with “Secretary as defined in section 5(1) of the Waste Minimisation Act 2008”
.
Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act 1996 (1996 No 30)
In section 141C(1)(a), delete “for the Environment”
.
In section 141G(2), delete “for the Environment”
.
Maritime Transport Act 1994 (1994 No 104)
Replace section 282(3)(i) with:
(i)
the department, departmental agency, or interdepartmental venture (as named in Part 1, 2, or 4 of Schedule 2 of the Public Service Act 2020) that, with the authority of the Prime Minister, is responsible for administering the Environment Act 1986:
Ombudsmen Act 1975 (1975 No 9)
In Schedule 1, Part 1, repeal the item relating to the Ministry for the Environment.
Public Service Act 2020 (2020 No 40)
In Schedule 2, Part 1, repeal the item relating to the Ministry for the Environment.
In Schedule 2, Part 3, item relating to the Climate Change Chief Executives Board, second column, repeal the item relating to the Ministry for the Environment.
Resource Management Act 1991 (1991 No 69)
In section 77F, definition of national planning standards, replace “that ministry”
with “the department, departmental agency, or interdepartmental venture (as named in Part 1, 2, or 4 of Schedule 2 of the Public Service Act 2020) that, with the authority of the Prime Minister, is responsible for administering this Act”
.
In section 360K(4), delete “for the Environment”
.
In Schedule 1AA, clause 3(1)(a), delete “for the Environment”
.
In Schedule 1AA, clause 5(1), delete “for the Environment”
.
Waste Minimisation Act 2008 (2008 No 89)
In section 5(1), replace the definition of Secretary with:
Secretary means the Secretary for the Environment within the meaning of section 2 of the Environment Act 1986
In section 93(2)(c), delete “for the Environment”
.
Water Services Act 2021 (2021 No 36)
In section 204(5), definition of regulatory agency, replace paragraph (h) with:
(h)
the agency that, with the authority of the Prime Minister, is responsible for administering the Environment Act 1986, including any statutory officer who carries out work for that agency:
Legislative history
16 February 2026 |
Introduction (Bill 249–1) |
|
19 February 2026 |
First reading and referral to Environment Committee |
|
24 April 2026 |
Reported from Environment Committee (Bill 249–2) |
|
12 May 2026 |
Second reading |
|
13 May 2026 |
Committee of the whole House |
|
27 May 2026 |
Third reading |
|
2 June 2026 |
Royal assent |
This Act is administered by the Ministry for the Environment.
Versions
Environment (Disestablishment of Ministry for the Environment) Amendment Act 2026
RSS feed link copied, you can now paste this link into your feed reader.