Hon Chris Bishop
Minister of Transport
Hon James Meager
Associate Minister of Transport

Legislation to make New Zealand’s transport regulatory system fit for purpose has passed its third reading today, Transport Minister Chris Bishop and Associate Transport Minister James Meager say.

“The changes bring transport legislation up to date by allowing digital options instead of paper documents, improving online service delivery, and strengthening rail and maritime enforcement through clearer responsibilities and appropriate penalties,” Mr Bishop says.

The Bill modernises transport legislation by shifting paper-based and physical processes to digital service delivery, including:

• enabling the future use of digital driver licences as an optional alternative to physical cards

• enabling digital alternatives to the requirement to display warrants of fitness and registration labels

• enhancing the New Zealand Transport Agency’s ability to deliver regulatory notices electronically

“Transport legislation relied heavily on hard copy letters to be posted instead of being sent electronically. Last year alone, this resulted in 14 million letters, reminders, and labels being sent at a cost of $16.8 million to taxpayers. While some mail will still be required, these changes will allow many services to move to modern digital delivery,” Mr Bishop says.

“Privacy and security safeguards have been a key focus throughout the Bill’s passage. Strong protections remain in place, with statutory obligations under the Privacy Act continuing to apply and existing contractual requirements protecting personal information.”

“The Bill is underpinned by three core themes: equipping regulators with effective tools, improving system efficiency, and addressing duplication and inconsistencies in transport legislation,” Mr Meager says.

“These changes complement recent reforms to Warrant of Fitness and Certificate of Fitness requirements, which reduce unnecessary compliance and better align inspection rules with modern vehicles and real-world risk.”

In addition to enabling digital licences and modernising service delivery, the Bill includes a range of other amendments to transport legislation, including:

• introducing clear duties on rail participants and personnel to support rail accident and incident investigations, reinforced by appropriate offences and penalties

• strengthening maritime enforcement by increasing and clarifying infringement fees for breaches of navigation bylaws

“Ultimately, these changes will make the system simpler to use, easier to enforce, and better for all transport users,” Mr Meager says.

NOTES:

. There are further secondary legislative changes to be made before digital driver licences and other service modernisation changes enabled through the Bill can be implemented.

· The public will have an opportunity to provide feedback during consultation on these rule changes and to submit feedback in due course.

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