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RMA Minister confirms rumoured 'water tax' won't be happening under current Govt

Author
Newstalk ZB,
Publish Date
Thu, 12 Feb 2026, 5:51pm
Photo / Mark Mitchell
Photo / Mark Mitchell

RMA Minister confirms rumoured 'water tax' won't be happening under current Govt

Author
Newstalk ZB,
Publish Date
Thu, 12 Feb 2026, 5:51pm

RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop has categorically ruled out implementing a 'water tax' that's mentioned in the proposed Resource Management legislation. 

Federated Farmers today asked the Government to remove clauses they say give Ministers sweeping powers to tax water as a tool for managing demand. 

Bishop says it's not that simple, and it's not a policy the current Government is proposing.

"There's a provision in there to allow it to be turned on into the future, if the Government did policy work around that, and I can tell you that we're not doing a policy work on our water tax."

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