Since our March 2025 newsletter, it’s been a busy period for law changes. Find out more below.
What laws have changed recently?
Below is a summary of some of the key changes since our March 2025 newsletter. Please note that this isn’t necessarily a complete list of all law changes relevant to your organisation.
To get full clarity about legislative changes affecting your organisation, dial up the ‘clarity of change’ function in your ComplyWith Obligations Register.
While you’re there, turn on law change notifications for yourself and remember that in the ComplyWith Admin module you can set up tailored law change notifications for anyone in your organisation who will benefit from being kept up to date about law changes relevant to their role.
Key changes for all sectors
- On 14 May 2025, the Equal Pay Amendment Act 2025 came into force, discontinuing existing pay equity claims and making changes to the process for assessing new claims.
- On 1 April 2025:
- Various provisions of the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2024–25, Emergency Response, and Remedial Measures) Act 2025 came into force
- Further provisions of the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Act 2024 came into force
- The minimum wage increased from $23.15 an hour to $23.50 an hour (and from $18.52 an hour to $18.80 an hour for starting-out workers and trainees)
- The ACC work account levies and earners' levy rate payable by employers were set for the 2025/26, 2026/27, and 2027/28 tax years (and any later tax year)
- On 30 March 2025, the Regulatory Systems (Immigration and Workforce) Amendment Act 2025 changed various legislation, including changing the definition of notifiable incident in the Health and Safety at Work Act.
Key changes for local government
- On 15 May 2025, the Freedom Camping (Self-contained Motor Vehicles—Extension of Period 4) Regulations 2025 came into force.
- On 1 April 2025, further provisions of the Local Government (Electoral Legislation and Māori Wards and Māori Constituencies) Amendment Act 2024 came into force, changing various timeframes related to local elections.
Key changes for the electricity industry
- On 1 May 2025, the Electricity Industry Participation Code Amendment (Common Quality Related Amendments) 2025 came into force.
- On 17 April 2025, the Electricity Industry Participation Code Amendment (Scarcity Pricing) 2025 came into force.
- On 1 April 2025, the following came into force:
- New Part 11A of the Electricity Industry Participation Code on consumer care
- The Electricity Industry Participation Code Amendment (Code Review Programme 6) 2025
- The Electricity Distribution Services Default Price-Quality Path Determination 2025 (which replaced the 2020 Determination)
- The Electricity Information Exchange Protocol (EIEP) 4A on medically dependent consumer information
- The Thermal Fuel Data Notice 2025
- Further provisions of the Electricity Distribution Information Disclosure (Targeted Review 2024) Amendment Determination 2024.
- On 30 March 2025, the Regulatory Systems (Economic Development) Amendment Act 2025 changed the Electricity Industry Act 2010.
- On 27 March 2025, the Electricity Distribution Services Input Methodologies (Reopeners and Other Matters) Amendment Determination 2025 changed the Electricity Distribution Services Input Methodologies Determination 2012.
Key changes for the telecommunications sector
- On 30 March 2025, the Regulatory Systems (Economic Development) Amendment Act 2025 changed the Telecommunications Act 2001 to extend timelines for fibre providers’ rights of property access and dispute resolution obligations.
Key changes for climate reporting entities
- On 28 April 2025, the Financial Markets Conduct (Climate-related Disclosures—Assurance Engagement) Exemption Notice 2025 exempted climate reporting entities from obtaining independent assurance of scope 3 greenhouse gas emissions disclosures for reporting periods ending before 31 December 2025 (if conditions are met).
Key changes for Crown Research Institutes
- On 30 March 2025, the Regulatory Systems (Economic Development) Amendment Act 2025 changed the Crown Research Institutes Act 1992 so that Crown Research Institutes are no longer required to deliver half-yearly reports to shareholding Ministers about their operations.
Key changes for aviation industry participants
- On 5 April 2025, the Civil Aviation Act 2023 (and realigned Civil Aviation Rules) came into force and replaced the Civil Aviation Act 1990.
What’s coming up?
The Taxation (Budget Measures) Bill (No 2) was passed on 23 May 2025, and some provisions come into force on the day after it receives the Royal assent.
Upcoming law changes include:
- On 1 June 2025, the third stage of the amendment regulations under the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Financing of Terrorism Act comes into force.
- On 12 June 2025, the Financial Markets Conduct Amendment Regulations 2025 come into force.
- On 1 July 2025, the following come into force:
- Further provisions of the Regulatory Systems (Immigration and Workforce) Amendment Act 2025
- Rates Rebate (Specified Amounts) Order 2025
- Further provisions of the Local Government (Water Services Preliminary Arrangements) Act 2024
- Water Services (Levies on Water Services) Regulations 2025
- Remaining provisions of the Local Electoral Amendment Regulations 2023
- Certain provisions in the Resource Management (Stock Exclusion) Regulations 2020 which extend requirements to existing pastoral systems
- Regulation 6 of the Local Electoral Amendment Regulations 2023
- Part 2 of the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Amendment Act 2023
- Consequential changes from the Land Transport Management (Repeal of Regional Fuel Tax) Amendment Act 2024
- Further provisions of the Electricity Industry Participation Code Amendment (Code Review Programme 6) 2025
- Gas (Levy of Industry Participants) Regulations 2025
- Further provisions of the Food (Fees, Charges, and Levies) Amendment Regulations 2024.
- On 1 August 2025, the following come into force:
- Notice of the Electricity Industry Participation Code Amendment (Updates to Registry Fields) 2024
- Electricity Industry Participation Code Amendment (Information to be Provided to the Registry Manager about Distributed Generation) 2024.
