New Zealand: Construction & Planning

New Zealand's 54th Parliament has enacted four major law reforms that will fundamentally reshape the property law landscape. These changes introduce narrower, risk-based seismic regulations, streamlined public works acquisitions, consolidated planning frameworks replacing the Resource Management Act, and enhanced emergency management coordination—all designed to accelerate decision-making while maintaining essential protections.

Seismic risk assessments are complex to navigate, requiring an informed balancing of legal obligations as against the commercial reality.

The new bill proposes to change how retentions in construction contracts are to be dealt with.