Following the Government inquiry into the Response to the severe weather events that hit the North Island in 2023, a new Emergency Management Bill in being introduced in Parliament. The Bill will replace the Civil Defence Emergency Management Act 2002.
This legislation aims to ensure there is a whole-of-society approach to emergency management. To achieve this, the proposed objectives for the new bill are to:
- strengthen community and iwi Māori participation in emergency management
- provide for clear responsibilities and accountabilities at the national, regional, and local levels
- enable a higher minimum standard of emergency management
- minimise disruption to essential services
- ensure agencies have the right powers available when an emergency happens.
A discussion document is available which supports the proposed objectives for the bill, addresses concerns raised by submitters on the previous bill and findings from inquiries and reviews into emergency events. Feedback will help inform further policy development and shape changes to New Zealand’s emergency management legislation.
The discussion document, a summary and information on how to make a submission is available on NEMA’s website www.civildefence.govt.nz/emergency-management-bill. Submissions close on 13 May 2025.