The Government has released the independent Crown Review Team’s final report into the failure of the Moa Point Wastewater Treatment Plant and the flooding event of 4 February 2026.

The Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment has written to Housing and Planning Minister, Chris Bishop, urging the Government to consider how its new planning system can support climate-resilient urban development

New research by Earth Sciences New Zealand, commissioned by Te Waihanga, explores how flood damage to infrastructure could change under different climate scenarios. It shows that, across the scenarios modelled, flood damage is expected to increase over the coming decades, with the impacts felt unevenly across the country.

This edition comes at an important point in the transition to New Zealand’s new planning system. Work is underway to build a more effective, nationally consistent system that supports housing and infrastructure, while protecting what matters to New Zealanders – including our natural environment.

The Government says New Zealanders will benefit from better information about natural hazard risks, and faster and more consistent planning decisions under major new investment for planning reforms.