Changes made to the Crown Minerals Act

Changes made to the Crown Minerals Act

The CMA sets out how the Government allocates rights to mine Crown-owned minerals such as gold, rare earth elements, coal, oil and fossil gas, for New Zealand's economic benefit.

Read the Bill - NZ Legislation website

Mining law changes to get New Zealand to net-zero by 2050 - Beehive Press Release

The Government is no longer required to actively promote prospecting, exploration, and mining of minerals like fossil fuels

The mining sector continues to play a critical role in supporting the economy, especially in our regions.

This change will provide greater flexibility in how the Government manages Crown-owned minerals into the future. It will also allow consistency with the goal of contributing to net zero carbon emissions to net zero 2050.

It means the Government can choose to promote the development of our resources where it is needed for the benefit of New Zealanders, and minimise it where it is not.

There are clearer expectations about permit holders' engagement with iwi and hapū

Amendments to the CMA were made to improve engagement between permit holders and iwi and hapū.

The changes clarify the Crown's expectations of permit holders about how engagement should be reported and how iwi and hapū feedback can inform further allocation under the CMA.

Clarifying decommissioning-related obligations

The amendments also make some petroleum decommissioning related clarifications.