Pānui - October 2026

Kia ora koutou

Welcome to Pānui for October 2026.

LINZ has recently published our Annual Report for 2025/26, showing our performance over the course of the financial year.

This year LINZ has continued to deliver on the Government’s priorities.

In the Overseas Investment area, we have successfully implemented reforms of the Overseas Investment Act and continued to exceed expectations for the timely processing of applications. We have exceeded all performance standards, including assessment, monitoring and enforcement activities, responding quickly to any incidents of potential breaches identified and providing high quality, timely advice to Ministers.

These results could not be achieved without your support. Submitting high-quality applications and engaging with us early on unusual or difficult cases makes a big difference in ensuring a smooth process and timely decisions. As always, we welcome your views on how we could work better together to make the application process more seamless.

The LINZ Annual Report is available on our website: Annual report 2025/26

As I outlined in last month’s Pānui, Parliament was dissolved on 1 October, and we are now in the pre-election period before the general election on 7 November.

The majority of overseas investment applications are decided by LINZ officials acting under delegated authority and these processes will continue as normal. The possible exception to this is the small number of applications where a Ministerial decision is required. We will contact you to discuss timing if that is relevant to your application.

Ngā mihi

Daniel White
Head of Regulatory Practice and Delivery
Toitū Te Whenua Land Information New Zealand

Alternative monetary thresholds

Investments in 'significant business assets' under the Overseas Investment Act generally require consent if they are above a $100m threshold. However, New Zealand has agreed alternative monetary thresholds in free trade agreements with some of our key trading partners.

A new threshold has now come into effect as part of the New Zealand India Free Trade Agreement. Indian investors now only require consent for certain investments above $200 million in value.

Australian investors also have an alternative monetary threshold under the Closer Economic Relations agreement between Australia and New Zealand. Under this agreement the investment threshold is reviewed every year.

The threshold for 2027 has now been set at $697 million, taking effect on 1 January 2027. This is an increase from the $676 million threshold for 2026.

More information on the new thresholds for Australian investors is available on the LINZ website: Update to threshold for Australian investors

Guidance on Alternative Monetary Thresholds is available on the LINZ website: Alternative monetary thresholds​

It is important to note that investments may be under the monetary threshold but still require consent under other provisions of the Overseas Investment Act, for example where an investment involves ownership or control of sensitive land.

Penalty for illegal forestry investments

The final stage of legal action LINZ has taken over forestry purchases made without the required consents will be concluded in the near future.

The series of actions LINZ has taken in the High Court follow two overseas individuals purchasing forestry blocks in Gisborne and Rodney without overseas investment consent in 2011 and 2014.

We expect the High Court’s penalty decision to be published soon, and we will make a public statement once that is available.

Decision summaries for September 2026

Benefit for New Zealand

202500843 - ANZCO Foods Limited
202600539 - Oceana Gold (New Zealand) Limited

Primary consent pathway – Sensitive land

202600648 - Rotorua Blue Lake (NZ) Limited
202600639 - Kyron James Bone202600726 - Gary Raymond Hirshberg and Margaret Cadoux Hirshberg
202600726 - Gary Raymond Hirshberg and Margaret Cadoux Hirshberg

Primary consent pathway – Production forestry

202600706 - Ingka Investments Forest Assets NZ Limited and Ingka Investment Managements NZ Limited
202600720 - Takahe Estate Limited
202600741 - RDNZ Emerald Timberland Trustee Limited as trustee for Emerald Timberland Impact Fund

Primary consent pathway – Business Decision

202600567 - Carmeuse America Holding SRL
202600666 - Strix Logistics LP
202600467 - Mayfair 1 Pte. Ltd.
202600514 - Shore Surgery Limited
202600696 - Starboard BidCo Pty Ltd
202600691 - Trident NZ BidCo Limited
202600646 - Meal Hub Co., Ltd
202600714 - RP Aus BidCo Pty Ltd
202600740 - General Distributors Limited

Exemption - Discretionary

202600523 - Withheld under s9(2)(b))ii) of the official Information Act
202600400 - Vistra Holdings (New Zealand) Limited
202600591 - Alchemy Aotearoa GP Limited
202600655 - Brookfield Corporation Limited
202600620 - Bendemeer Management Limited
202600695 - Brookfield Infrastructure Partners Inc.

Register: Discretionary exemptions

Exemption - Farm land advertising

202600474 - Obayashi Corporation Limited

Register: Exemptions from farm land advertising requirements

Exemption - definition of non-New Zealand government investor

202600483 - ANZ Renewables GMF II Investments Pte. Ltd

Exemption from definition of non-New Zealand government investor