The Government has passed legislation paving the way for the creation of the new Ministry for Cities, Environment, Regions and Transport (MCERT), a major restructuring that will merge several agencies responsible for housing, transport, urban development, local government and environmental policy.
The Environment (Disestablishment of the Ministry for the Environment) Amendment Bill enables the Ministry for the Environment to be folded into the new department alongside the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, the Ministry of Transport, and local government functions currently overseen by the Department of Internal Affairs.
RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop said MCERT would bring together the agencies shaping the growth of New Zealand’s towns, cities and regions, while Environment Minister Nicola Grigg said the changes would allow environmental responsibilities to continue without disruption. She said the new structure was intended to deliver more coordinated decision-making that balanced environmental protection with economic development.
Image credit: Sulthan Auliya
