The Fast-track Approvals Act 2024 became law from December 2024.
It is part of the Coalition Government’s wider resource management system reforms and provides an approvals process for projects that will deliver significant national or regional benefits.
This page outlines the Fast-track approvals process.
The Fast-track Approval Act's (the Act) purpose is to facilitate the delivery of infrastructure and development projects with significant regional or national benefits.
Fast-track is a ‘one-stop-shop’ that provides projects with an alternative to current processes for the resource consents, notices of requirement, and certificates of compliance usually required under the Resource Management Act 1991, or other Acts.
Under the Fast-track pathway, expert panels will consider required approvals as a single application package. This will create a more streamlined system than current processes, which require separate applications for different types of approvals.
An overarching clause requires everyone working under the Act to do so in a manner that is consistent with existing Treaty of Waitangi settlements and other arrangements.
See obligation relating to Treaty settlements and recognised customary rights [NZ Legislation website]
Any person can apply to have projects of regional or national significance considered for fast-track approval.
Part 2 of the Act outlines the process and the eligibility criteria projects must meet. The Minister for Infrastructure decides if projects are eligible for referral to the Fast-track pathway. If so, the applicant can lodge a substantive application.
Expert panels will consider substantive applications, determine conditions for projects and approve or decline applications.
Schedule 2 of the Act lists 149 projects the Government decided met the purpose of the Act and access the Fast-track pathway without requiring Ministerial referral.
The steps for projects seeking referral to an expert panel are:
The steps for a substantive application for a project referred by the Minister to an expert panel (or listed in Schedule 2 of the FTA Act) are:
The Government and its agencies do not subsidise Fast-track consenting. Applicants will pay fees to cover the actual and reasonable costs incurred by government agencies, local authorities, panel conveners and expert panels when processing each application.
The Act also allows for the creation of regulations that may impose a levy, payable to the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA), to cover certain costs. These include, but are not limited to, the expenses of the EPA or panel not otherwise covered under regulations. This also includes costs incurred by the Minister, EPA, agencies or a panel or panel convenor in relation to appeals or other legal proceedings under the Act.
The Ministry's core function as responsible agency is to assess referral applications and provide advice to the Minister for Infrastructure to inform his decisions on referral applications.
The Ministry receives the referral application from the applicant and assesses it for completeness and eligibility. It will also prepare a report on Treaty Settlements and other obligations for each project application.
In addition to supporting the Minister for Infrastructure, the Ministry is responsible for advising relevant Ministers (including the Minister for Climate Change) who may exercise powers, functions and duties under the FTA Act. Comments must be invited from the Minister for the Environment at both referral and substantive application stages.
The Environmental Protection Authority’s responsibilities include:
It is not involved in the decision-making process (expert panels make the decisions to approve or refuse consents and whether to impose conditions).
The EPA also provides advice and administrative and secretariat support to the panel conveners and expert panels.
At the panel’s direction, the EPA will obtain reports and advice or invite comments from agencies to support the expert panels in their decision making.
The EPA is establishing a new Fast-track function and processes to administer fast-track consenting under the Fast-track Approvals Act. This includes
The Fast-track function will operate as a cross-government ‘one-stop shop’, independent from the EPA’s environmental regulation role.
Other agencies responsible for specific Acts related to project approvals include:
A dedicated portal for Fast-track is now available for you to begin your application (substantive or referral).
View the fast-track application portal [Fast-track website]
Fast-track applications for referral or for projects listed in Schedule 2 of the Act will be accepted. An application cannot proceed until both application lodgement and payments are completed.
For those projects that are listed in the Act, applicants will be able to lodge their substantive application for consideration by an expert panel. The expert panel will decide whether or not to grant the approvals, and apply conditions.
Prospective applicants can progress their referral application but must have consulted with the relevant local authorities, relevant iwi/Māori groups, and relevant administering agencies.
Information on central government agencies’ cost recovery processes can now be found on their websites.