[3] The NBA aimed to promote the protection and enhancement of the natural and built environment, while providing for housing and preparing for the effects of climate change.

The committee will have an array of responsibilities, including the ability to vote on plan changes, set environmental limits for the region, and consider recommendations from hearings.

In its initial version, the bill establishes a National Planning Framework (NPF) setting out rules for land use and regional resource allocation.

An independent national Māori entity will also be established to provide input into the NPF and ensure compliance with the Treaty of Waitangi's provisions.

[8][9][13] In response, the opposition National and ACT parties criticised the two replacement bills on the grounds that it created more centralisation, bureaucracy, and did little to reform the problems associated with the RMA process.

The CAA would have established the systems and mechanisms for protecting communities against the effects of climate change such as managed retreat in response to rising levels.

[13] The Natural and Built Environment Bill passed its first reading in the New Zealand House of Representatives on 22 November 2022 by a margin of 74 to 45 votes.

The bill's sponsor David Parker and other Labour Members of Parliament including Associate Environment Minister Phil Twyford, Rachel Brooking, and Green MP Eugenie Sage advocated revamping the resource management system due to the unwieldy nature of the Resource Management Act.

Labour MPs Parker, Brooking, Twyford, Angie Warren-Clark, Neru Leavasa, and Stuart Nash, and Green MP Sage gave speeches defending the bill while National MPs Chris Bishop, Scott Simpson, Barbara Kuriger, Tama Potaka, and ACT MP Simon Court criticised the bill in their speeches.

[6][7] RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop announced that New Zealand would revert to the Resource Management Act 1991 while the Government developed replacement legislation.