Live export ban will not be repealed this term
Government Policy
In Effect
March 1, 2026
Summary
In March 2026, Associate Minister of Agriculture (Animal Welfare) Andrew Hoggard publicly confirmed that Cabinet had been unable to reach agreement on proposals to reinstate live animal exports by sea from New Zealand, and that proposed legislation to reinstate the trade would not proceed during the current parliamentary term. The existing statutory ban on live animal exports by sea — enacted through the Animal Welfare Amendment Act 2022 and operative from 30 April 2023 — remains in force unamended. Reinstatement under an enhanced regulatory framework had been a commitment in the National-ACT 2023 coalition agreement; no enabling legislation was introduced before Cabinet’s March 2026 decision closed off that commitment for the current term. Industry representatives publicly expressed disappointment at the backtrack; NGOs including SPCA New Zealand, World Animal Protection, and SAFE characterised the decision as confirmation that the ban would stand.
Background Context
New Zealand’s ban on live animal exports by sea took effect on 30 April 2023, following the Cabinet decision of April 2021 and the Animal Welfare Amendment Act 2022 — both documented in separate Development records. The 2023-2024 National-ACT coalition agreement included a commitment to reinstate live exports by sea under a “gold standard” regulatory framework modelled partly on Australia’s ESCAS system. Associate Minister Hoggard publicly signalled through 2024 that the Government was working on legislation and consultation to restart the trade. NGOs including SPCA New Zealand, World Animal Protection, and SAFE organised sustained campaigns against reinstatement, including a petition that attracted over 57,000 signatures cited by World Animal Protection. A 2024 survey commissioned by SPCA reported low public trust in the live export industry. Industry groups and exporters actively supported reinstatement, citing lost revenue and reduced cattle demand since the 2023 ban.
Cabinet deliberations in early 2026 concluded without sufficient agreement to proceed with reinstatement legislation. Minister Hoggard’s March 2026 confirmation closed off active reinstatement work for this parliamentary term.
System Impact
System Scale Direction
Neutral / Administrative
Type
Reinforces System
Significance
Moderate
Following Minister Hoggard’s public confirmation in March 2026, no enabling legislation to reinstate live animal exports by sea has been introduced to the New Zealand Parliament. The Animal Welfare Amendment Act 2022 and its operative provisions remain unamended. Live exports of cattle, sheep, goats, and deer by sea from New Zealand remain prohibited under the existing statutory framework. Industry sources reported that live exporters were disappointed and described the Government’s position as a backtrack on its coalition commitment. NGOs including SPCA, World Animal Protection, SAFE, and Animals Australia characterised the development as confirmation that the ban would stand during the current term. The Green Party publicly claimed it as a win. Ministry for Primary Industries enforcement of the export ban continues under the existing legal framework. No subsequent Cabinet decision reversing the March 2026 confirmation has been reported in available sources through April 2026. NGOs have indicated plans to campaign at the November election to prevent future reinstatement attempts.
Anticipated Effects
If Cabinet’s decision not to introduce reinstatement legislation holds for the duration of the current parliamentary term, live exports of production animals by sea from New Zealand will remain prohibited until at least a subsequent election and government formation process.
If a future government revisits reinstatement in a subsequent parliamentary term, the policy contest documented by this record will have established both the political cost of reinstatement and the advocacy infrastructure mobilised against it; the outcome of that future process is not established.
Whether the long-term trajectory of New Zealand’s live export ban is structural or susceptible to future legislative reversal remains politically open; the March 2026 decision confirms the current-term position but does not guarantee permanent prohibition.
Significance Rationale
The decision confirms the status quo of New Zealand’s live export prohibition system for the duration of a parliamentary term, with implications for industry planning and the durability of the 2023 ban. Its significance is political and temporal within the sequence of decisions establishing and sustaining the prohibition system, rather than operational; the decision does not itself produce a new scale change.
Within The System
Key Actors
Cabinet of the National-led coalition Government took the decision not to proceed with reinstatement legislation; Associate Minister of Agriculture (Animal Welfare) Andrew Hoggard (ACT Party) publicly confirmed the Cabinet decision in March 2026. Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) administers and enforces the live export ban under the Animal Welfare Amendment Act 2022. SPCA New Zealand, World Animal Protection, SAFE, and Animals Australia conducted sustained campaigns against reinstatement and publicly welcomed the confirmation. Industry groups and live export operators expressed disappointment at the backtrack on coalition commitments. The New Zealand Green Party publicly characterised the decision as a win.
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