The Conservation Amendment Bill 2026: most of it was signalled. One thing wasn’t.

Prepared by Clare Lenihan, Environmental and Public Law Barrister

The Conservation Amendment Bill 2026 was introduced last Thursday, billed as the most significant reform of conservation legislation in nearly 40 years. Most of what’s in it should not surprise anyone who has been following Minister Potaka’s announcements since August 2025: a streamlined management planning system with one overarching National Conservation Policy Statement (to replace the current two) and a single layer of area plans (removing the current two layers);  an updated concessions regime with exempt and pre-approved activity classes and processing timelines, a new international visitor levy at high profile sites like Cathedral Cove, Tongariro, Milford Sound and Aoraki, and an addition to the existing Treaty clause. Consultation was undertaken in 2025 and over 5,500 submissions were received.

One significant last minute change crept in that wasn’t consulted on. The current overall aim of the Conservation Act (expressed as part of functions of the Department of Conservation in section 6 of the Act) is for the Department to manage all land and other natural and historic resources for conservation purposes (defined in the Act). As of last Thursday, there’s a new kid in town – economic opportunity. Proposed new s 6(ea) will add to the Department’s functions – alongside managing land and natural and physical resources for conservation purposes, the Department must now also recognise the economic benefits of the use of conservation land and natural and physical resources (defined in the Act and includes plants and animals) and it must enable this use and development to the greatest extent practicable under the Act and other enactments.

This new function flows into the National Conservation Policy statement, area plans and sits as the sole new stated purpose of the revamped Part 3B concessions regime.

The change has implications across a range of sectors, and differing views on its merits can be expected.

This change will delight infrastructure providers, give tourism operators pause for thought and no doubt baffle (and anger) conservationists.

The select committee process will be where this is tested. A more detailed look at the changes will be provided next week.