The Government is calling for feedback on proposals to change and inform development of national direction under the resource management system. Submissions are invited on proposals to update national direction for infrastructure, development and the primary sector and on options to amend freshwater national direction, and test how housing proposals could fit into the new resource management system.
Consultation for the first three packages will run from Thursday 29 May until 11.59pm on Sunday 27 July. Consultation on package 4 will run from Wednesday 18 June until 11.59pm Sunday 17 August 2025
Feedback will help shape how the proposals are finalised. Once finalised, instruments in packages 1-3 will set resource management policy and rules for regional and local plans, policy statements and resource consent decisions.
The Government aims to make it easier for councils to plan and deliver infrastructure by making four new national direction instruments and amending four existing national direction instruments.
The Government aims to enable growth in the primary sector by making changes to eight existing national direction instruments.
The proposals to prepare and amend national direction in Packages 1 and 2 are being consulted on under section 46A of the Resource Management Act. They are grouped for ease of reading and to help understand where instruments deal with similar matters.
The Government is seeking feedback on options to amend freshwater national direction to better reflect the interests of all water users, and on whether changes should be implemented under the existing RMA or under new resource management legislation.
Further consultation will be undertaken, later this year, through a more detailed exposure draft of the proposed freshwater national direction.
The Government is seeking feedback on how the proposals in the first pillar of the Going for Housing Growth programme could fit into the new resource management system.
Pillar 1 aims to free up land for development and remove unnecessary planning barriers.
This package is a joint consultation run by the Ministry for Housing and Urban Development and the Ministry for the Environment.
We hosted four online webinars on the proposals in packages 1, 2 and 3 and to answer questions.
View Package 1- Infrastructure and development
Slide pack for Package 1 (PDF, 1MB)
View Package 2: Primary sector and Package 3: Freshwater
Start the video at the freshwater section
Slide pack for - Package 2 and 3 (PDF, 1MB)
See responses to most questions asked during webinars.
We are running the following online forums on specific topics in packages 1 and 2.
| Forums | Date | Time | Intended audience/topic | Registration link |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| National Direction Forum 1 - Infrastructure | Tuesday 17 June | 10am - 11am | Opportunity to ask questions about various aspects of the new NPS Infrastructure and NES Telecommunication Facilities. | Register here |
| National Direction Forum 2 - Energy | Wednesday 18 June | 10am - 11am | Covers proposals to change energy national direction, under section 46A of the Resource Management Act. | Register here |
| National Direction Forum 3 - Coastal Marine | Wednesday 18 June | 2pm - 3pm | Covers proposals to change the NZ Coastal Marine Policy Statement 2010 and the National Environmental Statement for Aquaculture. | Register here |
| National Direction Forum 4 - Commercial Forestry | Monday 23 June | 2pm - 3pm | Covers proposals to change the National Environmental Standards for Commercial Forestry, under section 46A of the Resource Management Act. | Register here |
| National Direction Forum 5 - Housing Development | Tuesday 24 June | 2pm - 3pm |
Covers proposals to create or change housing national direction, under section 46A of the Resource Management Act. |
Register here |
| National Direction Forum 6 - Natural Hazards | Wednesday 25 June | 10am - 11am | Covers proposals to create a new National Policy Statement for Natural Hazards, under section 46A of the Resource Management Act. | Register here |
| National Direction Forum 7 - Quarrying and Mining | Thursday 26 June | 10am - 11am | Covers proposals to change national direction that impacts the quarrying and mining sectors, under section 46A of the Resource Management Act. | Register here |
National direction sets national resource management policy and rules which inform regional and local plans, policy statements and resource consent decisions. It includes national policy statements, national environmental standards, and section 360 regulations.
Read more on national direction.