Offshore oil & gas ban reversed
Major harm -2Crown Minerals Amendment Act 2025 removed 2018 ban on new offshore petroleum exploration; changed CMA purpose from 'manage' to 'promote' Crown minerals.
New Zealand First
NZ First
In government Oct 2017-Oct 2020 (Labour coalition) and Nov 2023-present (National coalition)
Governing history
Coalition periods and governing roles across the 2014-present analysis window.
2017-2020
Coalition partnerLabour-led coalition (with NZ First)
26 October 2017 - 16 October 2020
2023-present
Coalition partnerNational-led coalition (with ACT & NZ First)
27 November 2023 - present
Otherwise: Out of Parliament October 2020 - November 2023; not in Parliament 2014-2017.
Attributed actions
9 actions · scored from major harm (−2) to major win (+2)
Gas Security Fund ($200m co-investment)
Major harm -2Budget 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.
Agricultural emissions removed from ETS
Major harm -2Climate 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.
One Billion Trees programme launched
Win +1Launched One Billion Trees programme (target: one billion trees planted by 2028) led by Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones - flagship NZ First coalition policy with Provincial Growth Fund support for planting and forestry jobs.
Coal boiler phase-out standards repealed
Harm -1Resource 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).
Withdrew from Beyond Oil & Gas Alliance
Harm -1Withdrew from BOGA following decision to repeal offshore oil & gas exploration ban. First country to exit the alliance.
Fast-track Approvals Act 2024
Harm -1Permanent fast-track consenting for nationally significant projects including petroleum/mineral mining under Crown Minerals Act. Schedule 2 lists 149 projects for direct panel consideration.
International climate finance reduced
Harm -1Reduced 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.
Agricultural emissions pricing work defunded
Harm -1Budget 2024 cut funding for agricultural emissions pricing policy work from ~$167m to ~$3m over four years (part of broader CERF/agriculture savings).