Parliament's Environment Committee has released a report on the Crown Minerals (Petroleum) Amendment Bill, with a majority recommendation that the bill be passed with amendments.

The bill seeks to amend the Crown Minerals Act 1991. The amendments would give effect to the Government’s decision to stop the granting of new offshore petroleum permits and to limit new onshore petroleum permits to Taranaki.

The committee says its proposed amendments are mostly minor changes intended to help make the bill clearer.

The bill was referred to the committee on 26 September 2018, with submissions closing on 11 October 2018. The committee received 2,249 submissions from interested groups and individuals.