Friday, May 15, 2026

Government moves to fast-track hazardous substance and new organism approvals

Hazardous substance approvals
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The Government is proposing changes to New Zealand’s hazardous substances laws aimed at speeding up approval processes for new agrichemicals and crop protection products, arguing the current system is too slow and costly for industry.

Environment Minister Nicola Grigg announced amendments to the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act on Friday, saying the reforms would make it easier for farmers and growers to access products already available overseas.

The proposed changes follow a 2024 Ministry for Regulation review, which found the existing approval pathway effectively managed risks but was overly complex and added delays and compliance costs for businesses.

Grigg said the reforms were intended to “remove unnecessary barriers” and create “clearer regulatory pathways” for agrichemical companies and the primary sector.

The Government also plans to make greater use of assessments carried out by overseas regulators in an effort to reduce duplication in the approval process, while retaining what it describes as New Zealand-specific safeguards.

Critics of similar reforms in the past have raised concerns about whether faster approvals and increased reliance on overseas assessments could reduce scrutiny of products entering the New Zealand market, particularly around environmental and health impacts. However, Grigg claimed the changes would not weaken protections for people or the environment.



“The proposed amendments do not weaken current protections for people or the environment. They are about improving processes through smarter regulation,” she said.

The Environmental Protection Authority would remain the independent decision-maker under the proposed system, according to the Government.

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8 COMMENTS

  1. Hmmm…

    This is being proposed at the same time that the RMA is being dismantled, and local government is in a state of flux.

    The use of these hazardous substances is ‘permitted’ under the RMA, which in turn is (supposed to be) administered, monitored and rules enforced by Regional Councils (and to a lesser extent district councils).

    SNAFU

  2. Problem; We have been too reliant on overseas supplier of fertilisers..
    Solution; We’ll make our own, but in the legislation we’ll throw in Judith’s GMO enhancement schemes…!
    Result; Organism destruction via political deception!
    Just wait until 6G gets fired-up, and everything that is epigenetic becomes the below-
    The beginning…
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nfNpCzK1S7Q
    The end…
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YYV2sob6IOo
    They couldn’t be vaccinated with a bioweapon, could they?
    https://rumble.com/v5ejgqh-recent-study-shows-self-assembly-nanobots-in-the-covid-19-injectables.html?e9s=src_v1_sa%2Csrc_v4_sa_o%2Csrc_v1_upp_a
    https://rumble.com/v4u39su-self-replicating-nanobots-found-in-both-the-vaxxed-and-unvaxxed.html?e9s=src_v1_sa%2Csrc_v4_sa_o%2Csrc_v1_upp_a
    https://rumble.com/v4wwv00-smart-dust-biosensors-and-chemtrail-dispersal.html?e9s=src_v1_sa%2Csrc_v4_sa_o%2Csrc_v1_upp_a
    https://rumble.com/v4wj5gi-destroying-our-connection-to-god-with-gene-editing-injections.html?e9s=src_v1_sa%2Csrc_v4_sa_o%2Csrc_v1_upp_a
    Check out the laser weed killer…
    https://www.farmersweekly.co.nz/technology/vege-grower-field-tests-nzs-first-laser-weeder/
    NOW-
    Imagine a laser fired from a space-based platform that is weaponsed to kill crops!

  3. Corporate State Government: just get the hell out of the way of our productive farmers and stay out of their way. This applies to all production based industry. Your administrative estrogenic interference by non-productive bureaucrats is getting old.

  4. F*** the fast track. You know everything they fast track is tied to the UN agenda in some way or another. Follow the “science/money”

  5. Irresponsible, reckless fools. Anything and I mean “anything” to turn a quick buck, to hell with the cost to people and the environment. This lot can’t leave office soon enough, for my liking.

  6. Yummy! Plastic meat! Good ole glycophosphate! And hey, we can really get some serious 1080 tonnage going right through the whole country now! Thanks national and labour politicians! We’ll all vote for you now! Yaaay!

  7. National – ‘We’re going to make it easier and faster to bring in things that will kill you, your children and the environment’. Gee thanx bros.

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