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Natural Environment Bill

Key roles - Functions, powers, and responsibilities of regional councils - Information and monitoring

227: Information gathering, monitoring, and keeping records

You could also call this:

"Regional councils must check and protect the environment in their area"

Illustration for Natural Environment Bill

You will have a new rule that says regional councils must check the state of the environment in their area. They must think about how well the rules in their plan are working and how they are using their powers. They must also think about how permits are being used and how protected customary rights are being exercised. You will have to follow a new process when the regional council checks the environment and finds a problem. They must take action according to any national standards or regulations, using the methods available to them under this new law. They must also take action when monitoring shows it is needed, following any regulations made under this law or the Planning Act 2025. Regional councils must keep an eye on the environment and take action when needed, using the rules and methods available to them. This includes working with national standards and regulations to protect the environment. They must use their powers to take care of the environment in their area.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=LMS1557569.

This page was last updated on 14 December 2025 — View changes

Topics:

Environment and resources > ConservationEnvironment and resources > Town planningGovernment and voting > Local councils

226: Provision of relevant information to post-settlement governance entity, or

"Getting information about permit applications that affect your area"

228: Duty to keep records about iwi and hapū, or

"Councils must keep records about local Māori iwi and hapū groups"

Part 5Key roles
Functions, powers, and responsibilities of regional councils: Information and monitoring

227Information gathering, monitoring, and keeping records

Every regional council must monitor the state of the environment in relation to the whole or any part of the region.
Monitoring must include consideration of the following:
the efficiency and effectiveness of limits, rules, or other methods in the regional plan; and
the exercise of any functions and responsibilities under its plan or delegated or transferred by the regional council; and
the exercise of permits; and
the exercise of a protected customary right in its region, including any controls imposed on the exercise of that right under Part 3 of the Marine and Coastal Area (Takutai Moana) Act 2011.

Every regional council must take appropriate action in accordance with any national standard or other regulations, having regard to the methods it is able to use under this Act, when its monitoring of the state of the environment shows action is needed.
Every regional council must take appropriate action, including in accordance with any regulations made under this Act or the Planning Act 2025, having regard to the methods it is able to use under this Act when monitoring shows that action is needed.