Patch 2024.12
December 2024 update
This month, disposable vapes are banned, and victims can get protection from unwanted prison contact, with prisoners punished for contacting people who say no.
- Disposable vaping devices are banned — Selling, making, supplying, or distributing disposable vaping devices is prohibited. Starts 18 Dec 2024
- Victims get more protection from prison contact — Prison processes must help unwanted-contact victims, and prisoners can be punished for contacting people who do not want contact. Starts 23 Jun 2025
- Major projects can use fast-track approvals — The law creates a fast-track approval system for infrastructure and development projects with major regional or national benefits. Starts 24 Dec 2024
- Therapeutic Products Act is repealed — The Therapeutic Products Act 2023 is repealed, while existing dietary supplement rules continue under the Food Act. Starts 18 Dec 2024
- Three-strikes sentencing rules return — Courts must apply new rules to repeated serious offending, with some provisions starting earlier than the main changes. Starts 17 Jun 2025
- Tenancy termination rules change — Rules about ending tenancies change for renters and landlords. Starts 30 Jan 2025
- Cadastral survey fees increase — Fees for checking survey standards, adding surveys to the cadastre, and auditing compliance increase. Starts 3 Feb 2025
- Some land-transfer fees increase — Fees increase for certain land-register copies, registrations, and checks of evidence for electronic instruments. Starts 3 Feb 2025
- Land information search fees increase — Electronic cadastral searches rise from $6 to $8, while manual searches rise from $25 to $52. Starts 3 Feb 2025
- Some tuna fishing levies fall — Annual levies fall for albacore tuna and skipjack tuna quota species. Starts 1 Jan 2025
- Industrial emissions allocations are recalculated — Industrial emissions allocations are recalculated; gelatin and newsprint lose eligibility from 2027. Starts 1 Jan 2025
- Forestry charges use a lower multiplier — The multiplier used to calculate some forestry charges falls from $30.25 to $14.90. Starts 16 Jan 2025
- Two more gangs officially identified — Two gangs are added to the list used under the Gangs Act. Starts 3 Feb 2025
- Some air-travel liability limits increase — Certain liability limits under the Montreal Convention are increased. Starts 28 Dec 2024
- Orthopaedic review information gets legal protection — A specified orthopaedic review activity gets confidentiality and civil-liability protections. Starts 16 Jan 2025
- Health review information gets legal protection — Specified health review work gets confidentiality and civil-liability protections. Starts 16 Jan 2025
- Health review information gets legal protection — Specified health review work gets confidentiality and civil-liability protections. Starts 16 Jan 2025
- Psychiatry review information gets legal protection — A specified psychiatry review activity gets confidentiality and civil-liability protections. Starts 16 Jan 2025
- Breast surgery review information gets protection — A specified breast surgery review activity gets confidentiality and civil-liability protections. Starts 16 Jan 2025
- Anaesthetic review information gets legal protection — A specified anaesthetic review activity gets confidentiality and civil-liability protections. Starts 16 Jan 2025
- Rescue helicopter review information gets protection — Specified rescue helicopter health review work gets confidentiality and civil-liability protections. Starts 16 Jan 2025
- Orthopaedic practice reviews get protection — A specified orthopaedic practice review activity gets confidentiality and civil-liability protections. Starts 16 Jan 2025
- Health review information gets legal protection — Information and documents from the orthopaedic joint registry’s quality checks become confidential, with some legal protection for participants. Starts 16 Jan 2025
- Unlawful greyhound destruction becomes an offence — Intentionally destroying certain greyhounds can lead to imprisonment, a fine, or both. Starts 11 Dec 2024
- Commercial fruit and vegetable levy continues — Commercial growers pay a levy on fruit and vegetables grown in New Zealand. Starts 1 Apr 2025
- Process vegetable levy continues — Commercial growers pay a levy on process vegetables grown in New Zealand. Starts 1 Apr 2025
- Fresh vegetable levy starts — A levy applies to fresh vegetables grown commercially in New Zealand. Starts 1 Apr 2025
- Fresh tomato levy continues — A levy applies to fresh tomatoes grown in New Zealand, paid mainly by growers. Starts 1 Apr 2025
- Fire and Emergency levy regulations start — Fire and Emergency New Zealand levy regulations start applying. Starts 1 Jul 2026
- Tax interest rates change slightly — Interest on unpaid tax falls to 10.88%, while interest paid on overpaid tax falls to 4.30%. Starts 16 Jan 2025
- Some Māori reservation meetings can be online — Meetings for Māori reservations, trustees, and beneficiaries may be held electronically. Starts 9 Jan 2025
- School staffing calculations change — Teacher allowance formulas change, and more schools may receive structured-literacy staffing exemptions. Starts 10 Jan 2025
- Some government rules are confirmed — The Act confirms certain government rules so they do not expire or become invalid. Starts 24 Dec 2024
- Former prime ministers’ annuities increase — The yearly rate and maximum annuity for eligible former prime ministers increase. Starts 1 Jan 2025