The Government is assessing whether the traffic light settings are still "fit for purpose", with a review on the way into the country's Covid rules.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said that New Zealand had been "working with the traffic light system for upwards to a year now, so now is it the time to look at whether or not all those settings are fit for purpose".
"We include mask use in that analysis."
It comes as Australia is set to remove mask rules for domestic flights next week.
The Otago Daily Times reported the Ministry of Disabled People was asked for feedback on a proposal to narrow mask use rules.
"We have a regular process of looking at what our current case numbers are, pressure on our hospital system, hospitalisations, but we're also looking at our broader settings more generally," Ardern said.
"No final decisions have been made and final advice is yet to be considered."
Ardern said a reason that mask use on public transport had a specific focus was there had been Covid transmission on the likes of buses and trains which were less likely to be well ventilated.
"That's why in the past, with high case numbers it has been an area that has been a focus," she said.
ACT leader David Seymour described changes to Covid rules as "tiresome".
"The masking rules are now illogical and ineffective," he said.
"If people want to wear masks they can, but government shouldn’t be forcing people. The rest of the world has moved on and we need to as well."
Bay of Plenty's health provider Hauora a Toi last week urged hospital and healthcare visitors to keep wearing masks.
Chief Operating Officer Bronwyn Anstis said there were instances of people taking off masks at the entrance of hospitals.
"There are still a lot of respiratory diseases in our community, and some people are carrying the flu or Covid-19 without showing any symptoms," Anstis said.
Some departments had more than 10% of staff on sick leave, coupled with a high number of hospital patients.
While he was still Director-General of Health, Ashley Bloomfield said in July he had asked officials to collect advice around any potential changes to the Red setting, and that information would be passed on to Cabinet.
New Zealand had 1800 Covid-19 community cases today, 269 hospitalisations and three people in ICU.
New Zealand moved to the Orange level of the traffic light system mid-April.
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