Introduced on Nov 15. The bill replaces and repeals the Resource Management Act in tandem with the Spatial Planning Bill. The NBEA will lay out the framework for regulating both environmental management and land use planning. Its intent is to enable use and development within environmental limits and targets. First reading on Nov 22 with National, Act and Te Paati Māori opposed. Sent to the environment committee. Reported back on June 27 with extensive changes but the initial intent of the bill intact. National, Act and Green party all filing minority reports. National pledged to repeal the RMA reform bills before Christmas if elected to govt saying the replacement would be worse than the original. Second reading completed on July 18 with Labour, Greens and Kerekere in favour. Committee stage completed on Aug 1. Third reading on Aug 15 with National, Act and Te Paati Māori opposed.

Natural and Built Environment Bill

Introduced on March 16. This bill replaces the Earthquake Commission Act 1993 and changes the name of the Earthquake Commission to Toka Tū Ake – Natural Hazards Commission. The overarching objectives of the changes are to enable better community recovery from natural hazards, to clarify the role of the Commission and the cover provided. First reading on March 30 and sent to the Finance and Expenditure Committee with all parties in agreement. Reported back on Sept 29 with minor changes. Second reading on Nov 15 with all parties in favour. Committee stage completed on Nov 8. Third reading on Feb 21 with all parties in favour.

Natural Hazards Insurance Bill

Establishes a natural health products regulator in the Ministry of Health; requires online registration of natural health products; requires assessment and regulation of ingredients, claims and evidence of health benefits and manufacturing standards; lists prohibited ingredients; requires notification of new ingredients before marketing; exempts some categories. The select committee had difficulty balancing consumer choice, public health safety, light regulation when risk is low, and scientific evidence. It tightened provisions on allowable health benefit claims except where the claim is based on traditional use. Greens opposed this tightening and the proposal to charge fees. First reading Sept 2011 report back from select committee was delayed until Oct 2012. Second reading in March 2013 and now awaiting clause-by-clause debate. After becoming stalled the Government tabled sweeping amendments on March 15 2016. They widen the definition of natural health and supplementary product with a definition of natural health product. The widening of the definition means manufacturers of any natural health product must comply with the requirements of this Bill. However, the requirement for a natural health product to contain only permitted substances will continue to apply to natural health products for sale or export. The Government had indicated it was ready to proceed with the committee stage. However an intense lobbying campaign from some in the sector, particularly exporters, has seen the bill once again parked down the Order Paper. Lapsed August 22 2017. Natural Health and Supplementary Products Bill

Introduced on Nov 22. The bill requires the New Plymouth District Council to use its Perpetual Investment Fund for purposes that primarily benefit current and future New Plymouth communities. The fund was set up in 2004 from the sale of the council’s shareholding in PowerCo for $259m. First reading on Dec 7 with all parties in favour and sent to the governance and administration committee. Reported back on May 5 with minor changes. Second reading on May 10 with all parties in favour. Committee stage on June 7 and third reading June 28 with all parties in favour.

New Plymouth District Council (Perpetual Investment Fund) Bill

Introduced on March 18, 2020 the Bill provides a mechanism for the Executive and the House to consider, and, if they think fit, respond to, a declaration of inconsistency made under the NZ Bill of Rights Act or the Human Rights Act. First reading on May 27 and referred to the Privileges Committee, opposed by National. Report back due by March 4, 2021. Reported back on Sept 30 with minor changes and National now accepting it is a worthwhile piece of legislation. Second reading May 11 with all parties in favour. Committee stage Aug 2 and third reading on Aug with no opposition  New Zealand Bill of Rights (Declarations of Inconsistency) Amendment Bill

Member’s bill in the name of James Shaw drawn from the ballot on Dec 19. The bill proposes to make the right to a sustainable environment a right under the NZ Bill of Rights Act. First reading on April 10 and voted down by National, Act and NZ First.

New Zealand Bill of Rights (Right to Sustainable Environment) Amendment Bill

This bill introduced on March 31 enables certain entities (including corporate and public entities or unincorporated entities) to get  a New Zealand Business Number and to be registered to a New Zealand Business Number register. The bill received its first reading on May 5 with the Govt saying it hoped the business number would reduce red tape costs by giving businesses one way of interacting with the Govt. Opposition MPs said the bill has good intent, but feared it would just add to red tape. The bill was referred to the Commerce Committee for consideration. Reported back with minor amendments on September 29 with even Government MPs wondering if it will be effective and Labour MPs arguing it would increase compliance costs for no foreseeable benefit with vague plans for implementation. Second reading interrupted on December 3 and again interrupted on February 16, before being completed on a voice vote on March 9. Committee stage completed on March 30 with general agreement. An opposition amendment saying departments must use the NZBN was defeated.  Third reading completed on April 12 with just NZ First opposed. During the third reading debate the Govt said it would be getting departments and agencies to use the Business Number through a set of whole-of-Government directions to be released in the coming months. The bill passed with just NZ First opposed. New Zealand Business Number Bill

Given its first reading on March 13 the bill sets up a process for holding of two postal referendums on the New Zealand Flag. The first will determine which alternative flag design is preferred by voters, and the second will determine whether that alternative flag or the current flag is to be the New Zealand Flag. Sent to the Justice and Electoral Committee for consideration with a report back date of July 29. Opposed by Labour and NZ First. Reported back from select committee on June 29 with Labour issuing a minority report saying it was not necessarily against changing the flag, but objected to the process. Completed its second reading on July 28 with Labour, Greens and NZ First voting against with the Government giving the bill a high priority. Committee stage interrupted on July 29 with the Government indicated the bill’s passage will be given priority. Third reading completed on August 13 with National, Maori Party, ACT and United Future in favour.  New Zealand Flag Referendums Bill

Introduced on December 1. The bill, amongst other things, allows horticultural grower groups operating under the Act to develop more flexible and targeted export marketing strategies and clarifies the powers of product groups to collect fees and levies to fund their export marketing strategies. Completed its first reading on March 29 with the agreement of all parties. The bill was sent to the Primary Production Committee for consideration with a report back due on September 29. Reported back from Select Committee on August 31 with minor amendments. Second reading completed on October 18 with all parties in agreement. Committee stage completed on November 15 with no major change. Passed third reading on December 6 with all parties in support.  New Zealand Horticultural Export Authority Amendment Bill

Introduced on April 8 and given first reading on April 11 with all parties in favour. The bill establishes the Infrastructure Commission/Te Waihanga as an autonomous Crown entity, with the purpose of co-ordinating, developing, and promoting infrastructure planning and construction. Referred to the Finance and Expenditure Committee with a report due back by Aug 26. Reported back on Aug 23 with only minor changes including giving the Commission more powers to require information from local authorities. Second reading Sept 10, committee stage Sept 18, third reading Sept 24 all parties in support. New Zealand Infrastructure Commission/Te Waihanga Bill