Patch 2026.09

September 2026 proposals

This month’s proposed bills would strengthen consumer protection and Customs, change taxes and KiwiSaver, oversee police, and set rules for postnatal stays and overseas adoptions.

• Stronger consumer trading rules proposed — Would update consumer trading rules, strengthen enforcement, and support action against scams and unsafe products.
• Proposal to change several tax rules — The Bill would set annual tax rates and change rules affecting businesses, investments, KiwiSaver, student loans, and other taxes.
• New police oversight office proposed — Would replace the current police complaints body with a new independent office overseeing police conduct and complaints.
• Proposal to widen KiwiSaver home withdrawals — The Bill would let some members use KiwiSaver for a first home on a farm or without living in it.
• Proposal on three-day postnatal stays — Would change rules about a three-day postnatal stay.
• New safeguards for overseas adoptions proposed — Would create an enduring system for international and overseas adoptions, with safeguards for children and citizenship arrangements.
• Stronger Customs border powers proposed — Would give Customs stronger powers and information-sharing abilities to address border and national-security risks.
• Higher penalties for fake military honours — Would increase penalties for wrongly wearing or supplying military decorations and distinctive badges.
• Broadcast standards watchdog proposed for removal — Would end the Broadcasting Standards Authority and leave complaints and standards to media self-regulation.
• Changes proposed to improve court systems — Would make changes intended to improve how the courts system works.
• Research and innovation system reorganised — Would reorganise research and innovation governance, funding, public research organisations, and ethical review.
• Changes to farm and veterinary medicines — Would change rules about agricultural compounds and veterinary medicines.
• Proposal to change agricultural product approvals — The Bill would change approval, reassessment, participation, compliance, and emergency processes for agricultural and horticultural products.
• Proposal to keep various rules in force — The Bill would keep listed rules in force, including levies, import controls, and alcohol and tobacco duties.
• Proposal to change anti-money-laundering rules — The Bill would give businesses more compliance flexibility while adding sanctions duties and stronger tools against organised crime.
• Proposal to standardise Treaty references — Would standardise references to the Treaty in legislation without substantively changing their legal effect.
• Proposal to remove Treaty references — Would remove statutory references to Treaty principles from six laws covering land, education, energy, products, plants, and smoking.
• Proposal to change Treaty references — The Bill would change how five laws refer to the Treaty of Waitangi and its principles.
• Proposal to settle Ngāti Mutunga claims — The Bill would settle Ngāti Mutunga o Wharekauri’s historical Treaty claims and provide cultural, commercial, and other redress.
• Proposal for shared Chatham Islands redress — The Bill would give Moriori and Ngāti Mutunga o Wharekauri shared ownership and management of specified Chatham Islands sites.