82365 (2024). Hon Jo Luxton to the Associate Minister for the Environment

82365 (2024). Hon Jo Luxton to the Associate Minister for the Environment: How, if at all, does the Minister ensure that regulatory cuts, such as halting the rollout of freshwater farm plans and easing intensive winter grazing regulations will not undermine New Zealand’s long-term environmental goals, particularly in freshwater health and biodiversity?

Hon Andrew Hoggard: The Government has paused the rollout of the freshwater farm plan system allowing improvements that will ensure it is more cost-effective and practical for farmers. Officials are working with industry groups, councils and other key stakeholders to simplify freshwater farm planning requirements and enable more catchment-level solutions. Winter grazing will be managed through regional council plans, freshwater farm plans once available, and farmers following good management practices as outlined in the winter grazing module.