The Government has brought into effect national direction on managing natural hazard risk as part of its phased approach to the reform of the resource management system.
National Policy Statement for Natural Hazards 2025
Ministry for the Environment
15 January 2026
Notice of gazettal [NZ Gazette website]
Development in areas at risk from natural hazards without appropriate measures to manage risk can pose a risk to lives, businesses and homes. This can leave communities, insurers, councils and government facing costs for repairs and recovery.
The Government is reforming the resource management system in phases. In phase three, the Resource Management Act 1991 will be replaced with two new acts. This new system will provide more certainty around where development can and should be enabled.
See Replacing the Resource Management Act cabinet paper.
In the meantime, the Government has implemented high level national direction on managing natural hazard risk as the first step towards better managing natural hazard risk through the planning system, while the new system is being developed and implemented.
This is part of phase two of the Government’s Resource Management Act reform programme, which also includes changes to other national direction instruments.
See National direction programme - Phase two of resource management reform for more information.
In 2023, the Ministry for the Environment consulted on proposed national direction on natural hazards under the RMA. A National Policy Statement for Natural Hazard Decision-making (NPS-NH) was proposed as an interim step, with more comprehensive national direction to be developed over time. The NPS-NH was not progressed.
The Government consulted on proposals to prepare or amend national direction, including a proposed National Policy Statement for Natural Hazards from May to July 2025. Consultation closed on 27 July 2025.
A Recommendations and Decisions Report summarising submissions received, officials' recommendations, and the Minister Responsible for RMA Reform's decisions on the proposal is now available.
View the Recommendations and Decisions Report.
View the Infrastructure, development and primary sector national direction consultation
The Governor-General, on recommendation from the Minister Responsible for RMA Reform, approved the National Policy Statement on 15 December 2025 and it comes into force on 15 January 2026.
The NPS-NH 2025 sets out a balanced way for councils to manage natural hazard risks in new developments, based on the level of risk involved. Making new development safer helps to reduce future costs and make communities more resilient.