Crown Pastoral Land Reform Act

What the Act does

The Act amends the Crown Pastoral Land Act 1998 and Land Act 1948 and received Royal assent from the Governor-General on 17 May 2022.

It introduces an outcomes-based approach to the regulatory system to help ensure that sustainable pastoral farming maintains or enhances the inherent (ecological, landscape, cultural, heritage and scientific) values of the land.

The changes also aim to:

• increase transparency
• improve accountability
• enable more public involvement in how the system operates
• better support the Crown-Māori relationship.

What's changed

The Act ended tenure review the day after Royal assent. Only those reviews in implementation or at the substantive proposal stage can continue.

On 17 November 2022, other changes in the Act came into effect to provide greater protection of inherent values. This includes:

• a new process for consenting discretionary pastoral activities
• stock limitation exemptions 
• commercial recreation permits
• easements.

A new public access consideration will also come into effect when the Commissioner of Crown Lands assesses lease transfers and sublease applications. 

There is also greater visibility of these types of decisions. Summaries of most decisions are published - Crown pastoral land activity decisions. 

Secondary legislation is not required to implement these changes.

More information on Parliament.govt.nz - Crown Pastoral Land Reform Act

Regulations and standard

As part of the reforms, new regulations and a new Commissioner of Crown Land’s standard came into force in September 2023 to improve how we administer Crown pastoral land in the South Island high country.

View the consultation document and summaries of submissions - Proposed regulations and standards to better manage Crown pastoral land.

Regulations

The new regulations came into effect on 21 September 2023 and cover the information we need when:

• leaseholders apply for consent to carry out a discretionary pastoral activity or stock limitation exemption
• leaseholders and others apply for a commercial recreation permit
• enforceable undertaking agreements are made between leaseholders and the Crown to mitigate or resolve a breach.

New infringement fees and notices are also included.

View the new regulations - Crown Pastoral Land Regulations 2023.

Standard

The Commissioner of Crown Land’s standard came info effect on 1 September 2023 and covers the information we need when: 

• an easement is sought under or over Crown pastoral land under section 60 of the Land Act 1948
• consent to a transfer or sublease of Crown pastoral land is sought under section 89 of the Land Act 1948.

View the standard - Commissioner of Crown Land’s Standard on Easements, Transfers and Subleases affecting Crown pastoral land.