May 30, 2025 — The New Zealand government has unveiled sweeping planning reforms aimed at cutting red tape and accelerating mining and infrastructure development, in what officials are calling the most significant reset of national direction rules in decades.
The proposals, now open for public consultation, target key national policy instruments under the Resource Management Act (RMA), which critics say have long stifled the country’s ability to build vital infrastructure. The changes are part of a wider three-part strategy focused on infrastructure and development, primary industries, and freshwater management.
“Our infrastructure is crumbling, our population is growing, and climate risks are rising,” said Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop. “We need quarries and mines to support roads, bridges, water systems and yet current laws make these projects almost impossible to get off the ground.”
At the heart of the proposed reforms is a push to streamline approval processes for quarrying and mining sectors seen as essential to supplying the raw materials needed for construction and national resilience. Four major national directives are being revised, including the National Policy Statement for Indigenous Biodiversity and the National Environmental Standards for Freshwater. Together, they form a web of complex, often conflicting requirements that industry leaders say have delayed projects for years.
Regional Development Minister Shane Jones stressed that the changes will maintain strong environmental protections while eliminating duplication and unnecessary costs.
“We are removing barriers, not environmental standards,” Jones said. “Investors need clarity, not a decade of paperwork and delays. This is about giving them the certainty to move forward while still protecting our natural heritage.”
New Zealand’s infrastructure deficit made worse by aging networks and increasing climate disasters has reached what officials call a crisis point. The reforms are expected to help unlock stalled projects, from road expansions to energy and water systems, by making the planning process faster and more predictable.
The government also sees the mineral sector as a key pillar of post-pandemic economic recovery. Tapping into rich deposits across regions like the South Island and inland North Island, officials hope to generate jobs, boost exports, and increase domestic self-reliance in critical resources.
“Utilising our mineral wealth is not just about extraction—it’s about energy security, economic resilience, and regional opportunity,” said Jones.
These planning changes follow the recently passed Fast-track Approvals Act and are set to precede a full replacement of the RMA next year. The new framework will emphasize property rights, regional control, and pro-development priorities.
Public consultation is open until July 27, 2025, via the Ministry for the Environment’s online platform. The government aims to finalize up to 16 revised or new national direction instruments by the end of the year.
As climate threats grow and infrastructure pressure mounts, New Zealand’s government is betting on a bold shift—one that puts development and resilience front and center, while promising to keep environmental guardrails firmly in place.