New Zealand's plan to scrap environment ministry sparks backlash

New Zealand’s coalition government has come under criticism after proposing to abolish the country’s dedicated environment ministry and merge it into a larger “mega ministry”, a move opponents say risks weakening environmental protections and oversight.

Under a bill introduced in Parliament on 19 February, the environment portfolio would be folded into a single department covering housing, urban development, transport, local government and environmental policy. The government aims to operationalise the new structure by 1 July.

Resource management reform minister Chris Bishop said the existing system was inefficient. “The system is too fragmented and too uncoordinated,” he said, adding that duplication and overlapping responsibilities had frustrated both ministers and public servants. The new structure would “combine the key levers that shape growth and productivity”.

The environment ministry, established by statute in 1986, currently serves as the government’s primary adviser on climate and environmental issues. Critics argue that removing a standalone department could reduce independent oversight at a time when biodiversity loss and environmental pressures are intensifying.

Bronwyn Hayward, a political science professor at the University of Canterbury, said she was “very concerned” about the proposed changes. “There is a real risk that in the merger we simply lose the threads of accountability, the skill, and cohesive delivery of effective policy… that supports our economy and wellbeing,” she said.

Opposition parties also criticised the move.

Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said the proposal was “emblematic of this government’s approach to the environment and nature, which is to enable more pollution and cut programs that were there to improve nature and the environment.”

She added, “We’re concerned that all of the monitoring and environmental protection work that the ministry has been involved in… will go by the wayside.”

Green Party environment spokesperson Lan Pham said the decision sent a “clear signal that the environment comes last for this government”, arguing that the ministry existed because New Zealanders wanted “a dedicated voice at the heart of government”.

The reforms come amid broader policy shifts by the right-leaning coalition, including plans to restart offshore oil exploration, boost mineral exports and fast-track major infrastructure projects — measures that environmental groups say could increase ecological risks.

In a joint statement, Bishop and Environment Minister Penny Simmonds rejected the criticism, saying the changes would “strengthen accountability”.

“We want to be clear: there are no substantive changes to the functions under the Environment Act 1986, and no reduction in environmental protections,” they said, adding that the restructuring was “about structure and effectiveness, not about stepping back from our responsibility to protect New Zealand’s environment.”