Regulatory Standards Bill
Public submissions close at 1pm on Monday June 23rd.
Submit your feedback on the NZ Parliament Website here.
NZAEE's Submission
The New Zealand Association for Environmental Education (NZAEE) is a national network of educators and organisations working to build environmental and sustainability understanding through education, so that people are empowered to connect with nature, understand environmental challenges, and take meaningful action. We work across sectors and communities to support learners, educators, and education providers to build more resilient, equitable, and sustainable futures. Central to our work is the understanding that sustainability requires systems-level thinking, collective responsibility, and long-term environmental care.
NZAEE is submitting to oppose the Regulatory Standards Bill. We are concerned that the Bill:
- Was developed without meaningful engagement with Māori, despite its constitutional significance. This raises important questions in relation to honouring Te Tiriti Waitangi and the principles of partnership and participation.
- Emphasises deregulation in a way that could reduce protections for the environment, communities, and future generations.
- Risks narrowing the scope of regulation in ways that prioritise short-term economic outcomes over long-term wellbeing, equity, and environmental sustainability.
- Prioritises the values of individual liberties and the protection of property rights while undermining the collective values of social and intergenerational justice for the common good. The principles underpinning any regulation must support the effective functioning of communities, protect disadvantaged groups, and most importantly, protect the environment on which we rely for a sustainable future.
Environmental education and education for sustainability help ākonga and communities build understanding of how human systems interact with the natural world, including our complex social, ecological, and economic systems. This includes examining the role of regulation in protecting ecosystems, promoting fairness, and ensuring long-term wellbeing. When the approach to regulation prioritises short-term or individual gain over collective and intergenerational responsibilities, the values at the heart of sustainability education are undermined. For this reason, NZAEE is submitting to express our concern about the potential impacts of the Regulatory Standards Bill on the educational and ethical foundations of sustainability learning in Aotearoa.
We urge the Government to halt the advancement of this Bill and to ensure that any further development would include broad engagement, particularly with Māori, as well as robust analysis of environmental, social, and educational impacts.
