Five Million Voices

Should Parliament amend the Fast-track Approvals Act 2024 to add a grocery-sector competition pathway and adjust the regime's decision-making time frames and procedures?

The bill amends the Fast-track Approvals Act 2024 to add grocery retail competition as a recognised purpose for fast-track projects and to change a range of operational time frames and procedures in the fast-track approvals process.

⚡ Taken under urgency

Parliament advanced this bill under urgency (committee of whole house, second reading, third reading) — moving it through faster than usual, with less time than normal for public submissions.

MPs’ arguments for and against the bill

Why support it
  • Supporters said the bill promotes competition in the grocery retail sector as part of the Government's growth agenda, which they argued would have flow-on effects for productivity and living standards.
  • Supporters argued the changes make sensible operational improvements to the fast-track regime, such as clearer statutory time frames that give applicants and investors greater certainty about process and cost.
  • Supporters said the select committee process led to clarifications, including that modifications cannot expand a project's scope beyond its original description, and that panels retain their role in weighing adverse effects against benefits.
Why oppose it
  • Opponents argued the new Government policy statement mechanism lets Ministers shape substantive decisions without defined criteria, which they characterised as ministerial overreach.
  • Opponents said that despite being described as a grocery competition measure, the bill's provisions are drafted more widely and do not specifically limit the policy statement to supermarket competition.
  • Opponents criticised the legislative process, citing a short submission period, an early report-back without a revision-tracked version, and amendments tabled late.

These are claims MPs made in Parliament’s debate — not verified facts.

Full bill summary & link to official bill page

This bill amends the Fast-track Approvals Act 2024, which created a streamlined "one-stop shop" for approving major infrastructure, housing, mining and development projects faster than normal consenting. The amendments refine how that fast-track system runs: they adjust the roles of ministers and the Environmental Protection Authority, let agencies request more information and allow applicants to stage or amend projects, tighten decision timeframes, and narrow which parties must be formally consulted (with others simply notified). Some changes also set conditions around mining approvals and the expertise required on decision panels. It affects developers, iwi and hapū, councils, and communities near proposed projects.

It is a government bill building on a coalition priority to speed approvals for nationally significant projects. Supporters argue it removes delays and duplication that hold up housing and infrastructure, giving investors more certainty and supporting economic growth. Opponents argue that trimming consultation and environmental checks concentrates power in ministers and expert panels, and risks approving projects with less scrutiny of environmental effects and less community or Māori input.

See the Parliament.nz ↗ site for the full bill.

Oppose (No) Support (Yes)

Fast-track Approvals Amendment Bill · Second Reading, 9 Dec 2025
Parliament voted 68–55 — it passed.