Tuesday, 24 March 2026
Chair
Marcus Beveridge, Managing Director, Queen City Law
Description
Attend and earn 1 CPD hour
* This interactive online recording includes questions and quizzes requiring critical thinking about the topics, so you have no annual limits to the number of points/hours you can claim with this format of learning. Please verify with your CPD rules
Learning Objectives:
- Understand the current legislative trajectory and key developments in New Zealand’s environmental law, including the RMA reform and Fast-track Approvals Act
- Analyse ongoing system-level challenges in infrastructure delivery and anticipate likely environmental law developments for the remainder of 2026
Environmental Law in New Zealand: the Current State of Play
- RMA reform: legislative progress, overall framework and key areas of focus/contention
- Meanwhile - delivery of approvals under the Fast-track Approvals Act 2024: observations on evolving procedure and notable outcomes
- Delivery of infrastructure: challenges remain - what is happening at a system level?
- Look ahead: what can we expect for the balance of 2026?
Presented by Jennifer Caldwell, Partner, Buddle Findlay
Presenters
Marcus Beveridge, Managing Director, Queen City LawMarcus Beveridge is the Managing Director of Queen City Law NZ Limited. His main areas of practice are construction and property law, commercial law, foreign investment, real estate services and immigration. Queen City Law previously won the NZ Property & Construction Law Firm of the Year 5 times and the NZ Boutique Law Firm of the Year 3 times. Marcus was formerly Chairman of NZAMI and Convenor of the New Zealand Law Society Immigration Committee. Marcus is also a regular commentator on TV, Radio and in the press regularly on assorted legal topics in NZ.
Jennifer Caldwell, Partner, Buddle Findlay
Jennifer is recognised as a leading New Zealand lawyer in the resource management, environmental and infrastructure sector, with over 30 years' experience acting as a strategic adviser and advocate on numerous complex consent and designation projects, as well as statutory planning processes. Her recent areas of focus have been fast-track consenting under the Fast-track Approvals Act 2024, as an Associate Panel Convener appointed by Cabinet, and leading her second professional services alliance (as Programme Director for the Supporting Growth Alliance) to the successful delivery of over 60 transport designations to support Auckland's future growth. Jennifer has been activity advising a range of clients and sector groups on the implications and mechanics of RMA reform, and has developed a particular interest in spatial planning as a means of aligning infrastructure planning and implementation with investment.
