On July 1, the new Ministry for Cities, Environment, Regions and Transport will be operational, marking a major shift in environmental governance in New Zealand with long-term implications for the Manawatu district.
The Manawatu relies heavily on farming, forestry, and outdoor recreation, meaning environmental decisions directly affect local jobs, businesses, and daily life. Policies around freshwater quality and land use influence how farmers manage their land and how communities protect rivers like the Manawatu River. Unlike larger urban centres, where environmental policy can feel distant from everyday life, people here see the impacts firsthand through changing water quality, erosion, and biodiversity.
Environmental policy also affects tourism and recreation in the Manawatu. Healthy forests, clean rivers, and protected wildlife attract visitors and allow locals to continue enjoying the outdoors. For the Manawatu, protecting the environment is not just a political issue – it is about preserving our way of life, our economy, and the identity of our community for future generations.
Environmental advocacy organisations, including Greenpeace Aotearoa and Environment Network Manawatu, have strongly opposed the creation of the new ministry. They have raised several concerns about the proposed disestablishment of the Ministry for the Environment:
A loss of independent oversight: Advocates argue that dismantling a standalone ministry would eliminate an independent statutory voice responsible for holding the government accountable on environmental matters.
Subordinating nature to development: Advocates argue that putting environmental governance under the same authority as housing and transport could lead to environmental interests becoming subordinate to development interests.
Concerns that consolidated decision making will block local community groups and iwi from participating in resource consent hearings.
According to the Environment Select Committee, a total of 588 submissions were made to the Environment Select Committee regarding the Environment (Disestablishment of Ministry for the Environment) Amendment Act. 583 submissions were in opposition to the act, with only five submissions in support of the government’s plan.
The aim of the government by disestablishing the Ministry for the Environment and establishing MCERT (Often described as a “Super Ministry” by both government ministers and critics) is to reduce administrative costs and bureaucracy and help to reduce fiscal deficit.
Minister for RMA Reform and Infrastructure Chris Bishop said: “The new agency will be at the heart of tackling some of New Zealand’s greatest economic and environmental challenges, from housing affordability and our infrastructure deficit to climate adaptation.”
The Environment (Disestablishment of Ministry for the Environment) Amendment Act and the establishment of the new MCERT will reduce government administrative spending, which aligns with the goals of the current governing coalition. Supporters of the bill say the reduction in administrative spending is good news for taxpayers, but environmental advocacy groups have expressed major concerns over the MCERT being formed, citing a potential subordination of environmental regulation and protection to favour housing and transport interests.
As the proposal moves forward, residents in the Manawatu will be watching closely to see how the changes could reshape environmental decisionmaking, particularly for farming, water quality, and local conservation efforts.