Penny Simmonds bins Ministry for Environment advice on waste policy

Environment Minister Penny Simmonds has taken a markedly more industry-friendly approach. (Image: NZME)

Fri, 18 Jul 2025

Environment Minister Penny Simmonds overruled officials’ advice in scrapping key waste policies, including plastics bans, recycling mandates and emissions targets.The policies had been years in the making and were supported by officials as low-cost ways to cut waste, reduce emissions and give certainty to councils and industry, newly released briefing papers show.But Simmonds opted to unwind or pause many of them, favouring a more flexible, business-focused approach and bypassing wider consultation in some cases.Officials advised sticking...

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