Govt consults on emergency and waste management
2 May 2025
The gas sector has been invited to contribute to two government agency consultations at the moment – one on a review of emergency management legislation, particularly as it relates to ‘lifeline’ services such as gas and electricity; and the second, a Ministry for the Environment (MfE) consultation on waste management legislation.
The Civil Defence Emergency Management Act (2002) is being reviewed, partly in response to recent severe weather events, with the Government intending to pass a new Emergency Management Bill to replace the 2002 Act.
The consultation period closes on 13 May.
Objectives for the reform include the intention to minimise disruption to essential ‘lifeline services’, and possibly expanding the definition of such; providing clear responsibilities and accountabilities at the national, regional, and local levels; enabling a higher standard of emergency management; and ensuring agencies have the right powers available when an emergency happens.
The consultation document notes that “the Government wants to minimise the impact of emergencies on essential services, so communities can continue functioning normally – or return to normal as soon as possible.
“This requires the organisations that provide or enable these services to understand the risk they face, prepare for disruption, and manage it effectively when disaster strikes.”
Option Four of the Civil Defence consultation - “Minimising disruptions to essential services” -potentially imposes new compliance costs on gas utilities, so GasNZ is reviewing the proposals.
The emergency management consultation documents and submission form can be found here.
MfE’s waste management consultation is particularly relevant to the gas sector in relation to the development of renewable gas production opportunities.
Currently, waste management facilities such as municipal landfills charge those disposing of waste a ‘gate fee’, which contributes to the waste disposal levy these facilities pay.
The levy monies are then distributed to territorial authorities to fund waste minimisation initiatives.
Presently, however, facilities that convert waste to energy, such as GasNZ member Ecogas’s Reporoa facility, are specifically exempt from having to pay this levy.
Amongst many changes the consultation is considering, is to remove this blanket exemption “to ensure a level playing field for all types of final waste disposal”.
It also suggests widening the allowable use of the levy monies by territorial authorities “to support a broader range of waste and environmental outcomes”.
The MfE consultation closes on 1 June.