Below is a summary of some key law changes since our May 2022 newsletter.
What laws have changed recently?
To find out more about the law changes that affect your organisation, log into your ComplyWith Obligations Register and dial up some ‘clarity of change’.
While you are in the Obligations Register you’ll see that you can create a ‘My List’ to easily access the legislation of interest to you and to feed into your law change emails.
Law changes because of COVID-19
The following changes were made because of COVID-19:
- The Epidemic Preparedness (COVID-19) Notice was renewed again and is currently due to expire on 16 September 2022.
- On 7 July 2022, changes were made to the health and disability sector workers required to be vaccinated for COVID-19 and receive a booster dose.
- From 2 July 2022, only specified workers in the health and disability sector are required to be vaccinated for COVID-19 and receive a booster dose (and certain border workers and most workers at corrections prisons are no longer subject to mandatory COVID-19 vaccinations).
- The requirements for certain border workers to undergo regular testing for COVID-19 were removed on 30 June 2022.
Key changes for all sectors
- The rest of the Fair Trading Amendment Act 2021 came into force on 16 August 2022 adding new obligations about unconscionable conduct and extending the unfair contract terms regime to small trade contracts.
- The period during which road user charges rates are reduced by 36% was further extended to 31 January 2023.
- The Credit Contracts and Consumer Finance Amendment Regulations 2022 and Amendments to the Responsible Lending Code came into force on 7 July 2022 and changed the rules about lender inquiries into affordability.
- On 1 July 2022:
- The Protected Disclosures (Protection of Whistleblowers) Act 2022 came into force replacing the Protected Disclosures Act 2000. More information is in our article Getting ahead on the new Whistleblowers legislation.
- Most of the Food Amendment Regulations 2021 came into force and introduced new requirements for the tracing and recall of food and food-related accessories.
Changes for Crown entities
- On 31 May 2022, new requirements for Crown agents to implement the Carbon Neutral Government Programme (CNGP) were set out in the Direction to Support a Whole-of-Government Approach, Given to the House of Representatives by the Minister for the Public Service and the Minister of Finance Under Section 107 of the Crown Entities Act 2004.
Changes for the local government sector
- On 27 July 2022, the Director-General issued 14 directions to local authorities (including Waipa District Council and Far North District Council) to fluoridate community water supplies.
- On 1 July 2022:
- The Local Government Members (2022/23) Determination 2022 replaced the Local Government Members (2021/22) Determination 2021.
- The Rates Rebate (Specified Amounts) Order 2022 increased the income threshold for a rates rebate from $26,510 to $28,080, and increased the maximum rates rebate from $665 to $700.
- The new levy payment requirements in the Waste Minimisation (Calculation and Payment of Waste Disposal Levy) Regulations came into force for operators of a construction and demolition fill disposal facility: class 2.
- The Environmental Performance Measures Record Keeping Requirements for Drinking Water Network Operators Notice 2022 set out environmental performance record-keeping requirements for drinking water network operators under the Water Services Act 2021.
Changes for the electricity industry
- On 1 August 2022, a new obligation was added to Part 2 (Availability of information) requiring participants to collect, record, collate, and give regular and event-driven information specified in a notice published by the Electricity Authority (unless an exception applies).
Changes for the gas industry
- On 1 July 2022:
- The Notification of Levy Rates Under the Energy (Petrol, Engine Fuel, and Gas) Levy Regulations 2017 Notice 2022 set levy rates for 1 July 2022 to 30 June 2023 under the Energy (Petrol, Engine Fuel, and Gas) Levy Regulations 2017.
- The Gas (Levy of Industry Participants) Regulations 2022 set levies on gas industry participants for the 2022/23 financial year.
- The Gas Distribution Services Input Methodologies Amendment Determination (No.2) 2022 and Gas Distribution Information Disclosure Amendment Determination 2022 came into force on 31 May 2022.
Changes for the telecommunications industry
- The Fibre Information Disclosure Amendment Determination 2022 came into force on 28 July 2022.
- The Telecommunications Operators (Commerce Commission Costs) Levy Amendment Regulations 2022 came into force on 1 July 2022 preserving the existing sub-levy structure that was due to end on 30 June 2022.
Changes for the education sector
- On 1 August 2022:
- The Education and Training Amendment Act 2022 came into force. The changes include a new obligation to make sure student accommodation employees are of good character, replacing training schemes with micro-credentials, and a new education product called a national curriculum.
- The Education (National Student Numbers) Notice 2022 replaced the Education (National Student Numbers) Notice 2019.
Changes for the health sector
- On 1 July 2022:
- The Pae Ora (Healthy Futures) Act 2022 replaced the New Zealand Public Health and Disability Act 2000.
- The Support Workers (Pay Equity) Settlements Amendment Act 2022 added minimum hourly wage rates payable by employers to support workers from 1 July 2022 to 31 December 2023.
- On 9 June 2022, the Infectious and Notifiable Diseases Order 2022 added Monkeypox to the list of notifiable infectious diseases in Schedule 1, Part 1, Section B of the Health Act.
Changes for organisations involved in quarrying
- On 18 July 2022, Part 1 of the Health and Safety at Work (Mining Operations and Quarrying Operations) Amendment Regulations 2022 came into force and extended several obligations that previously only applied to mining operations to also apply to quarrying operations.
What’s coming up?
Below is a summary of some of the key changes coming up.
- On 1 September 2022:
- The Data and Statistics Act 2022 replaces the Statistics Act 1975.
- The Electricity Industry Participation Code Amendment (Hedge Market Arrangements) 2022 comes into force.
- On 3 September 2022, the change to 15-minute recording under the Resource Management (Measurement and Reporting of Water Takes) Amendment Regulations 2020 applies to consented water takes of 20 litres/second or more.
- The rest of the Building (Building Products and Methods, Modular Components, and Other Matters) Amendment Act 2021 comes into force on 7 September 2022.
- On 1 October 2022:
- The Gas Distribution Services Default Price-Quality Path Determination 2022 comes into force.
- The Waste Minimisation (Plastic and Related Products) Regulations 2022 come into force.
- On 27 October 2022, the rest of the Financial Sector (Climate-related Disclosures and Other Matters) Amendment Act 2021 (except Part 2 and subpart 1 of Part 4) is due to come into force.
- On 14 November 2022, the Drinking Water Quality Assurance Rules 2022, Aesthetic Values for Drinking Water Notice 2022, and Water Services (Drinking Water Standards for New Zealand) Regulations 2022 come into force.
