Two major pieces of legislation are now before Parliament: the Planning Bill and the Natural Environment Bill. Together, they are intended to replace the Resource Management Act and fundamentally reshape how land, water, access, and environmental decisions are made in New Zealand.
Public submissions are open now - and close shortly.
If you care about outdoor recreation, access, freshwater, hunting, fishing, tramping, boating, or simply the ability to enjoy public land without it being quietly redefined or restricted, this is not something you can afford to ignore.
You can make a submission at https://www3.parliament.nz/ or use this direct link.
Why these Bills matter
These two Bills will:
- define how land and water are planned and managed for decades
- set the framework for environmental limits and priorities
- influence who gets a say - and who doesn’t - in future decisions
- shape access to rivers, coasts, forests, and backcountry
They are not minor technical updates. They are foundational.
Once enacted, future decisions affecting outdoor recreation will be made within these frameworks. If access, balance, and proportionality are not built in now, they will be very hard to recover later.
Why CORANZ is concerned
Outdoor recreation groups have learned this lesson the hard way.
Too often, legislation is written with:
- strong voices from professional advocacy organisations
- limited practical input from everyday users of land and water
- assumptions about recreation rather than lived experience
The result is familiar:
- access lost “by default”
- consultation after decisions are effectively made
- recreation framed as a problem to be managed, not a value to be protected
Submissions are one of the few points in the process where ordinary New Zealanders and community groups are explicitly invited to speak.
Silence here will be interpreted as consent.
“But I’m not an expert…”
You don’t need to be.
Select Committees are not looking only for legal drafting advice. They are looking for:
- real-world impacts
- unintended consequences
- voices that won’t be in the room later
A short, plain submission that says:
- how you use the outdoors
- what access means to you
- what you’re worried about losing
- what balance you want to see
…is far more valuable than many people realise.
A few paragraphs is enough.
What to focus on
Members may wish to comment on issues such as:
- protection of public access to land and water
- recognition of recreation as a legitimate use, not a secondary one
- clarity and restraint around environmental limits
- the role of local knowledge and lived experience
- safeguards against decisions being made solely by distant bodies
- transparency and accountability in planning processes
You don’t need to cover everything. Pick what matters to you.
Why timing matters
Submissions close soon. After that:
- the shape of the Bills is largely locked in
- changes become harder and rarer
- future debate happens inside a framework you didn’t help shape
CORANZ can advocate, analyse, and comment - but member voices matter most at this stage.
Decision-makers count submissions. They read patterns. They notice who shows up.
A simple ask
If you’ve ever:
- enjoyed access that later disappeared
- been told “this was decided years ago”
- wondered why recreation voices seem under-represented
…this is your chance to push back.
Make a submission.
Encourage a friend to do the same.
Even a short one.
Don’t wait for the perfect template. Your experience is enough.
This is one of those moments where participation now prevents regret later.
