What do NZ’s latest wetland regulations mean?

Recently, the New Zealand government made changes to the 2020 Freshwater Package after collecting input from the public. The 2020 Freshwater Package was supposed to provide increased protections for wetlands, in line with the government's policy goal of "no further wetland loss." However, following a lengthy consultation process, the government has proceeded with significant changes against recommendations of eNGOs and other concerned groups. Here, we break down what the new policy means and why it is significant.