Media release: New land market watchdog a welcome check on council zoning
Wellington (Wednesday, 19 August 2026) – The New Zealand Initiative welcomes today’s announcement that the coming urban planning system will include a competition watchdog.
Hon Chris Bishop, Minister for RMA Reform, and Simon Court, Parliamentary Under-Secretary for RMA Reform, announced today that the coming Planning Bill will include an independent Urban Land Market Officer.
That Officer will monitor and report on urban land markets. If a council fails to zone sufficient land for apartments, townhouses, new subdivisions, business or industry, that shortage will show up in price indicators. The Officer can then issue formal determinations. Councils must respond to these, and the determinations also make it easier for private parties to pursue their own plan changes.
The Initiative's Chief Economist Dr Eric Crampton said, “Zoning rules that make it too hard to build new housing, new supermarkets, new industrial developments and new mixed-use communities are at the root of most of New Zealand’s important problems. Ensuring that zoning enables competition matters. Housing is a huge problem, but it is not the only problem. Today's announcement is a big step forward.”
Dr Benno Blaschke, Research Fellow at the Initiative, added, “Competitive urban land markets were at the core of Hon Phil Twyford’s approach under the prior Labour government. Minister Bishop has acknowledged this and committed to seeing it through. The announcement follows through by embedding that approach at the heart of the planning system. I hope it signals a continuation of the bipartisan housing approach needed to restore and maintain housing affordability over the long term.”
Crampton concluded, “Today’s announcement is promising, but details in the Amendment Paper will matter. We will read them closely when the Paper is released.”
ENDS
Dr Eric Crampton is available for comment. To schedule an interview, please contact:
Jamuel Enriquez, Marketing and Communications Manager
E: jamuel.enriquez@nzinitiative.org.nz
P: 021 022 34451
_______________________________________________________________________________
About The New Zealand Initiative
The New Zealand Initiative is an evidence-based think tank and research institute contributing to public policy discussion.
Supported by the nation’s leading visionaries, business leaders and political thinkers, we are committed to making New Zealand a better country for all its citizens with a world-class education system, affordable housing, a healthy environment, sound public finances and a stable currency.
https://www.nzinitiative.org.nz | Subscribe to Insights, our weekly newsletter