The Environment (Disestablishment of Ministry for the Environment) Amendment Bill was presented to Parliament last week and passed its first reading. The process is progressing at speed, with submissions to the Select Committee open until 4pm on 11 March 2026.
The Ministry of Environment was set up in 1986 through statute because the people of Aotearoa NZ believe that protecting the natural world needs to be at the heart of government.
The Bill seeks to amend the Environment Act 1986 to legally abolish the Ministry for the Environment (MfE) to enable the consolidation of several agencies into a new super-ministry—the Ministry of Cities, Environment, Regions and Transport (MCERT). MfE’s functions would be integrated into MCERT’s broader responsibilities covering environment, housing, transport and regional/local government roles.
Matthew Tukaki’s Waatea News article provides a good summary of the potential impact of the Bill, noting environmental advocates are concerned “that abolishing the dedicated ministry removes an important statutory voice for environmental protection and weakens independent oversight. Concerns centre on how climate change mitigation, freshwater quality management, and biodiversity protection might be deprioritised when environment functions are combined with growth-oriented portfolios.”
ENM is preparing a submission – we’d love to have your input and thoughts to include! We also urge you to make your individual and organisational views known to the Select Committee before the 11 March deadline.
Let us know what you think by Tuesday 3 March!
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