Coal boiler phase-out standards repealed
Harm -7Resource management reforms will not carry forward NES/NPS for industrial process heat, effectively repealing the 2037 coal boiler phase-out and new-coal-ban implemented under Labour (LL-017).
New Zealand National Party
National
Governing history
Coalition periods and governing roles across the 2014-present analysis window.
2014-2017
Senior coalition leaderNational-led government (ACT confidence & supply)
20 September 2014 - 26 October 2017
2023-present
Senior coalition leaderNational-led coalition (with ACT & NZ First)
27 November 2023 - present
Otherwise: In opposition October 2017 - November 2023.
Attributed actions
32 actions · most recent first
EV charger consenting streamlined
Win +2Amended National Environmental Standards for Electricity Transmission to make public EV charging infrastructure a permitted activity in most cases (in force 7 May 2026), reducing consent barriers.
Zero Carbon Act weakening announced
Harm -9Announced changes to Climate Change Response Act: remove CCC advice requirement before Emissions Reduction Plans; reduce public consultation on emissions budgets; allow ERP amendments without consultation; remove ETS-NDC alignment requirement; biennial ETS settings. Amendment bill expected 2026.
Carbon Neutral Government deadline → 2050
Harm -5Extended Carbon Neutral Government Programme neutrality goal from 2025 to 2050, aligning with national net-zero target rather than requiring near-term public-sector neutrality.
Offshore oil & gas ban reversed
Harm -9Crown Minerals Amendment Act 2025 removed 2018 ban on new offshore petroleum exploration; changed CMA purpose from 'manage' to 'promote' Crown minerals.
Withdrew from Beyond Oil & Gas Alliance
Harm -5Withdrew from BOGA following decision to repeal offshore oil & gas exploration ban. First country to exit the alliance.
Gas Security Fund ($200m co-investment)
Harm -8Budget 2025 tagged contingency of $200m over 4 years for Crown co-investment in gas supply projects (Gas Security Fund), including exploration, existing fields, and storage.
NZGIF wind-down
Harm -5Directed NZ Green Investment Finance to stop new investments and wind down portfolio (April 2025); entity transitioning to investment management / exit mode.
Public EV charging - grants to loans
Harm -4Replaced direct CERF/Labour-era EV charger grants with ~$66m concessionary loan pool (NIFF-administered); first major loan awards March 2026 (~2,500 chargers). Rollout slower vs prior grant approach.
NDC2 submitted (51-55% by 2035)
Neutral +1Submitted second Paris NDC: reduce net GHG emissions 51-55% below gross 2005 levels by 2035 (2031-2035 period).
Fast-track Approvals Act 2024
Harm -5Permanent fast-track consenting for nationally significant projects including petroleum/mineral mining under Crown Minerals Act. Schedule 2 lists 149 projects for direct panel consideration.
Clean Car Standard weakened (2024-2025)
Harm -82024-25 amendments eased Clean Car Standard compliance: extended credit lifespans, slower target trajectory vs original design, and (from Jan 2026) ~80% reduction in importer CO2 charges ($67.50→$15/g new; $33.75→$7.50/g used) through 2027.
Offshore Renewable Energy Bill introduced
Win +4Offshore Renewable Energy Bill introduced (Dec 2024); select committee reported June 2025. Would create feasibility/commercial permit regime for offshore wind. Not yet enacted.
Plastic packaging phase-out paused
Harm -5Government paused further tranches of the plastic packaging phase-out (including PVC and polystyrene serviceware timelines) pending review - reversing momentum of LL-023 regulations.
Agricultural emissions removed from ETS
Harm -9Climate Change Response (Emissions Trading Scheme Agricultural Obligations) Amendment Act 2024 removed all agricultural activities from the NZ ETS. The coalition also committed to farm-level pricing via an alternative mechanism no earlier than 2030 - a decade-long delay beyond the prior He Waka Eke Noa 2025 pathway.
ETS auction volumes tightened (2025-2029)
Win +52024 NZ ETS settings decision reduced auction volumes from ~45m to ~21m units over 2025-2029 to address market surplus and align with emissions budgets (following CCC advice).
2030 NDC pathway unclear (no offshore credits)
Harm -52030 NDC (50% below 2005) retained, but ministers ruled out offshore mitigation/carbon credits used by prior government without announcing a confirmed alternative domestic pathway.
Climate Emergency Response Fund ended
Harm -9Budget 2024 disestablished CERF ring-fence; ETS auction revenue no longer dedicated to climate spend. ~$2.6b of prior CERF programmes continued via ordinary Budget lines; ~$651m savings identified from CERF-funded initiatives.
International climate finance reduced
Harm -6Reduced international climate finance trajectory: Budget 2024 trimmed remaining years of $1.3b commitment; Budget 2025 baselined $100m/yr from 2026 (vs ~$250m/yr under Labour package) without climate-only requirement.
Native forest programme cut (Budget 2024)
Harm -4Cut $50m from Establishing Native Forests at Scale programme (MPI) as part of CERF savings.
Climate Change Commission funding cut
Harm -7Budget 2024 scaled back CCC baseline funding (~7.5% from 2025/26) and removed funding for agricultural emissions pricing advisory function; staff reduced by ~one third.
Agricultural emissions pricing work defunded
Harm -7Budget 2024 cut funding for agricultural emissions pricing policy work from ~$167m to ~$3m over four years (part of broader CERF/agriculture savings).
RMA replacement bills introduced (2024)
Harm -7Introduced three bills to replace Resource Management Act 1991 with Natural and Built Environment Act and Spatial Planning Act framework (later revised to single RMA Amendment / repeal pathway in 2025-26).
EV road user charges introduced
Harm -5Ended long-standing RUC exemption for light EVs and plug-in hybrids from 1 April 2024 (~$76/1000km BEV; reduced rate for PHEVs). Coalition commitment to bring all vehicles into RUC.
Renewable energy doubling target (2050)
Win +3Committed to doubling renewable electricity generation by 2050 under ElectrifyNZ; solar projects listed under Fast-track Schedule 2.
Clean Car Discount scrapped
Harm -8Land Transport (Clean Vehicle Discount Scheme Repeal) Amendment Act 2023 ended feebate scheme 31 Dec 2023. BEV share of new light sales fell from ~19.8% (2023) to ~7.7% (2024).
2017 petroleum block offer launched
Harm -7Energy Minister Judith Collins launched Block Offer 2017, tendering petroleum exploration permits across ~482,000 km² including new onshore Southland and near-shore Hawke's Bay areas.
Paris Agreement ratified
Win +5Ratified the Paris Agreement on climate change, committing New Zealand to the global framework and to its 2030 emissions-reduction target.
ETS one-for-two subsidy phased out
Win +3Climate Change Response (Removal of Transitional Measure) Amendment Act 2016 phased out the ETS 'one-for-two' measure over three years (67% obligation from 2017, 100% from 2019). The $25 fixed-price option (price cap) was retained.
Electric Vehicles Programme launched
Win +5Announced Electric Vehicles Programme: target ~64,000 EV registrations by 2021; extended road-user charge exemptions; $6m/year innovation fund; charging infrastructure coordination; promotion campaign.
Agriculture excluded from ETS review
Harm -8Launched the 2015-2016 NZ ETS review but explicitly excluded agricultural biological emissions from scope, reaffirming indefinite deferral of farm-sector pricing.
2030 climate target (Paris INDC)
Harm -5Submitted New Zealand's Intended Nationally Determined Contribution (INDC) for 2021-2030: reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 30% below 2005 levels by 2030 (equivalent to ~11% below 1990).