Information on proposed new and amended National Direction

The Government is calling for feedback on proposals to change and inform development of national direction under the resource management system. Submissions are invited on proposals to update national direction for infrastructure, development and the primary sector and on options to amend freshwater national direction, and test how housing proposals could fit into the new resource management system.

RMLA will be reviewing the material and will look to provide some expert analysis in the coming weeks.

Click here to see the letter received from Minister Bishop, and here for a link to the consultation material. In summary there are four separate consultation packages:

Package 1: Infrastructure and development - The Government aims to make it easier for councils to plan and deliver infrastructure by making four new national direction instruments and amending four existing national direction instruments. 

Package 2: Primary sector - The Government aims to enable growth in the primary sector by making changes to eight existing national direction instruments. The proposals to prepare and amend national direction in Packages 1 and 2 are being consulted on under section 46A of the Resource Management Act. They are grouped for ease of reading and to help understand where instruments deal with similar matters.  

Package 3: Freshwater  - The Government is seeking feedback on options to amend freshwater national direction to better reflect the interests of all water users, and on whether changes should be implemented under the existing RMA or under new resource management legislation. Further consultation will be undertaken, later this year, through a more detailed exposure draft of the proposed freshwater national direction. 

Have your say on the proposals for packages 1, 2, and 3 by 11.59pm on Sunday, 27 July 2025.

Package 4: Going for Housing Growth - The Government is seeking feedback on how the proposals in the first pillar of the Going for Housing Growth programme could fit into the new resource management system. Pillar 1 aims to free up land for development and remove unnecessary planning barriers. This package is a joint consultation run by the Ministry for Housing and Urban Development and the Ministry for the Environment. Consultation on Package 4: Going for Housing Growth is expected to commence in early June 2025.

Register for Webinars

MfE is running online webinars on Packages 1-3 and to answer questions. Register for the webinars at the links below:

Webinar 1 | Package 1: Infrastructure and development - Wednesday, 4 June (10.30-11.30am) 
Webinar 2 | Package 2: Primary sector and Package 3: Freshwater - Thursday 5 June (1-2.30pm)
Webinar 3 | Package 1: Infrastructure and development - Tuesday 10 June (10-11am)
Webinar 4 |Package 2: Primary sector and Package 3: Freshwater - Wednesday 11 June (10.30am-12 noon)