Patch 2026.08

August 2026 proposals

Proposed bills would limit council rates, restrict benefits, set disability support rules, tighten migrant deportations, change alcohol licensing, and impose online age limits for under-16s.

• Proposal to limit council rates rises — would create a framework to limit yearly increases in non-water council rates, overseen by a regulator.
• Under-16s would face online age limits — would set a minimum age of 16 for certain online platforms and require platforms to assess risks to children under 18.
• Proposal to tighten some benefit access — would tighten jobseeker support for some young people and raise the accommodation supplement entry threshold for some homeowners.
• Proposal to set disability support rules — would create rules for publicly funded disability support, including fairer and more consistent decisions about services and funding.
• Some migrants would face stricter deportation rules — would broaden deportation grounds, restrict some appeals, and strengthen immigration compliance and enforcement powers.
• Proposal to change alcohol licensing rules — would change alcohol licensing, including objections, zero-alcohol sales, sampling, event licences, and delivery responsibilities.
• Proposal for stricter prison management — would create special rules for extreme-risk prisoners and broaden when prisoners could be kept apart.
• Large firms would report modern slavery — would require organisations earning over $100 million yearly to report on modern slavery in their operations and supply chains.
• Serious Fraud Office powers would expand — would give the Serious Fraud Office stronger tools to obtain digital evidence and seek and execute search warrants.
• Proposal to change military justice rules — Would change military justice rules for Armed Forces personnel, including low-level discipline, serious offending, bail, and Court Martial trials.
• Proposal to change planning rules — would change planning rules.
• Proposal to change environmental rules — would change environmental rules.
• Proposal to settle Whanganui claims — would provide agreed cultural and economic redress to Ngā Hapū o Te Iwi o Whanganui.
• Proposal about Nelson Tenths — The proposal would concern the Nelson Tenths.