Bills before parliament

Several Bills are being consulted on and will be open for submissions in January 2023.

HortNZ will be challenging proposals and seeking various amendments where necessary.

Grocery Industry Competition Bill | Submissions on 8 January

This Bill seeks to improve competition and efficiency in the grocery industry and create a trading environment in which businesses can participate confidently.

The Bill addresses the imbalance in negotiating power between major grocery retailers and their suppliers in three ways:

1. Creates a grocery supply code that the major grocery retailers will be required to comply with. It would constrain their ability to use their negotiating power advantage to force suppliers to accept unfavourable terms of supply that may involve them taking on costs and risks that are better addressed by the major grocery retailers
2. Extends protections in the Fair Trading Act 1986 against the use of unfair contract terms in standard form small business contracts to a wider range of grocery contracts, to constrain the ability of the major grocery retailers to push costs and risks onto suppliers
3. Establishes the means to exempt certain suppliers from prohibitions in Part 2 of the Commerce Act 1986, so that they can collectively negotiate terms and conditions of supply with the major grocery retailers within appropriate constraints.

HortNZ supports the intention of the Bill but seeks amendments to make the Bill more efficient and fairer.

Sustainable Biofuel Obligation Bill | Submissions on 12 January

This Bill introduces an obligation for any person or company that imports or refines more than 50,000 litres of liquid fossil fuels for transport in New Zealand, excluding aviation fuels, to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions intensity of those fuels by supplying sustainable biofuels.

HortNZ will seek stronger tests than those proposed in the Bill to ensure biofuels that are required through this Act are produced in a sustainable manner, without adversely affecting New Zealand’s food security. 

Natural and Built Environment Bill | Submissions close 30 January

The Natural and Built Environment (NBE) Bill repeals and replaces the Resource Management Act (RMA) 1991, working in tandem with the Spatial Planning (SP) Bill. Once passed, the Bills will be known as the Natural and Built Environment Act (NBA) and the Spatial Planning Act (SPA). A Climate Adaptation Bill will be introduced later to address the complex issues associated with managed retreat from coastlines.

The NBE Bill provides an integrated framework for regulating both environmental management and land use planning. It enables use and development within environmental limits and targets. It requires both positive outcomes to be achieved, and adverse effects to be appropriately managed.

HortNZ will submit on the NBE Bill to seek a framework that recognises the positive contribution of growing and supports horticulture within environmental limits.

Spatial Planning Bill | Submissions on 30 January

This Bill provides for the development and implementation of long-term, strategic spatial planning across New Zealand through the development of regional spatial strategies. 

A regional planning committee, comprising representatives from local government, central government, and iwi, hapū and Māori will develop a Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS) for each region. RSSs will identify the big issues and opportunities facing regions, and develop strategies and implementation plans to respond to them.

HortNZ will submit on the Bill to seek a framework that recognises the positive contribution of growing and supports horticulture within environmental limits.