National
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.
32 actions · scored from major harm (−2) to major win (+2)
Announced 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.
Crown Minerals Amendment Act 2025 removed 2018 ban on new offshore petroleum exploration; changed CMA purpose from 'manage' to 'promote' Crown minerals.
Budget 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.
Climate 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.
Amended 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.
Submitted second Paris NDC: reduce net GHG emissions 51-55% below gross 2005 levels by 2035 (2031-2035 period).
Offshore Renewable Energy Bill introduced (Dec 2024); select committee reported June 2025. Would create feasibility/commercial permit regime for offshore wind. Not yet enacted.
2024 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).
Committed to doubling renewable electricity generation by 2050 under ElectrifyNZ; solar projects listed under Fast-track Schedule 2.
Ratified the Paris Agreement on climate change, committing New Zealand to the global framework and to its 2030 emissions-reduction target.
Climate 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.
Announced Electric Vehicles Programme: target ~64,000 EV registrations by 2021; extended road-user charge exemptions; $6m/year innovation fund; charging infrastructure coordination; promotion campaign.
Resource 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).
Extended Carbon Neutral Government Programme neutrality goal from 2025 to 2050, aligning with national net-zero target rather than requiring near-term public-sector neutrality.
Withdrew from BOGA following decision to repeal offshore oil & gas exploration ban. First country to exit the alliance.
Directed NZ Green Investment Finance to stop new investments and wind down portfolio (April 2025); entity transitioning to investment management / exit mode.
Replaced 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.
Permanent fast-track consenting for nationally significant projects including petroleum/mineral mining under Crown Minerals Act. Schedule 2 lists 149 projects for direct panel consideration.
2024-25 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.
Government paused further tranches of the plastic packaging phase-out (including PVC and polystyrene serviceware timelines) pending review - reversing momentum of LL-023 regulations.
2030 NDC (50% below 2005) retained, but ministers ruled out offshore mitigation/carbon credits used by prior government without announcing a confirmed alternative domestic pathway.
Budget 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.
Reduced 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.
Cut $50m from Establishing Native Forests at Scale programme (MPI) as part of CERF savings.
Budget 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.
Budget 2024 cut funding for agricultural emissions pricing policy work from ~$167m to ~$3m over four years (part of broader CERF/agriculture savings).
Introduced 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).
Ended 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.
Land 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).
Energy 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.
Launched the 2015-2016 NZ ETS review but explicitly excluded agricultural biological emissions from scope, reaffirming indefinite deferral of farm-sector pricing.
Submitted 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).