Time's running out: What's left on the Govt's to-do list?

The coalition Government has entered the home stretch, pushing through a final round of reforms and law changes before Parliament shuts up shop ahead of the election.

There's plenty left on the agenda, from planning laws to firearms legislation, but the time to get it on the statute books is disappearing fast.

Parliament will sit for the last time on September 24, that's in less than seven weeks' time.

Here's what's on the Government's agenda as it chases the deadline to get its policies through before then.

Described as the "single largest economic reform in a generation," resource management reforms are the most important pieces of the Government's remaining legislation to pass.

Minister Chris Bishop has repeatedly promised that the coalition's replacement for the Resource Management Act (RMA) will be passed into law before the election.

Coalition parties have argued the current systems have driven up costs for housing and infrastructure development, enshrining a "culture of no".

Bishop moved early in the coalition's term to repeal Labour's replacement for the RMA system, before embarking on a rewrite himself.

The Planning Bill and Natural Environment Bill will form the foundation of the new system.

The most visible expected outcome from the new system would be fewer consents, with "activities that have small impacts no longer requiring a consent at all".

The country's more than 100 council plans will be cut to just 17 regional combined plans.

National standardised zoning and common activities would bring consistency, while consultation rules would be tightened. "Gone are the days of every man and his dog getting a say in what you do with your own property," Bishop said.

A new controversial system of regulatory relief would also ensure restrictions could not be placed on properties without some form of compensation to the landowner.

Lower-level disputes would be settled through a new planning tribunal — a quicker, cheaper alternative to the "expensive and burdened" Environment Court.

In a late change, Cabinet also decided that existing council agreements giving iwi a formal role in planning decisions - known as Mana Whakahono ā Rohe agreements - will not carry over into the new system.

Councils would instead be able to enter "narrowly scoped" iwi participation agreements.

Alongside the wholesale repeal and replacement of the country's resource management laws, several other significant bills were also being hurried towards the finish line.

Several of these have been passed in just the last week.

Changes to the leave and holiday pay system passed third reading last week, intending to simplify the notoriously complicated leave entitlement rules that have plagued employers, payroll providers and workers for the better part of two decades.

The new law replaces the Holidays Act 2003 with an hours-based system, under which annual and sick leave will accrue from a worker's first day on the job rather than after set qualifying periods. Both entitlements will build up according to the number of hours worked, with leave balances "banked" in hours.

A 24-month implementation period will run before the changes take effect, giving payroll providers and employers time to update their systems.

All existing rules would continue to apply until then.

Miscalculations under the current laws have cost businesses and agencies hundreds of millions of dollars in remediation payments, with major employers — including police, health agencies and large retailers — forced into lengthy back-pay exercises.

Rewriting the Arms Act was also part of the National-ACT coalition agreement, with regulations giving effect to the changes in the bill coming into force on September 23. The remaining provisions will come into force progressively by February 23.

Among the changes was the establishment of a specialist firearms regulatory agency to oversee all aspects of regulation, including licensing firearms users and registering firearms. Police will no longer carry out those tasks.

Gang members would also be disqualified from holding a firearms licence.

The Crimes Amendment Bill passed its third reading this week, delivering a suite of long-promised changes agreed by National and NZ First in their coalition deal.

The bill creates new offences for attacks on first responders and coward punches, brings in tougher penalties for retail crime, and expands citizens' arrest powers.

Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith said the bill was another significant piece of the Government's crime reforms, adding it would take effect within a week of passing.

“We promised to have this passed into law before the next election. We’re delivering. This legislation will take effect within a week of this bill passing into law," he said.

"Our Government is committed to fixing the basics in law and order, and that means ensuring retailers are being effectively protected, are empowered to stop offending, and that offenders are caught and deterred from doing it again."

The Climate Change Response (Tort Liability) Amendment Bill was also making its way through Parliament, blocking New Zealanders from taking civil court action against corporate polluters over climate change damage.

The move has halted a landmark case brought by activist Mike Smith against six companies, including dairy giant Fonterra, which the Supreme Court ruled two years ago should proceed to a hearing set for next April.

Goldsmith said the change was about avoiding a "parallel and potentially contradictory system developing through the courts".

The Oranga Tamariki (Responding to Serious Youth Offending) Amendment Bill was also being advanced, creating a young serious offender declaration and a new military-style academy order in a bid to curb repeat youth crime.

The declaration would target 14- to 17-year-olds with two or more serious offences proven in court, unlocking additional powers for police and the Youth Court.

Meanwhile, the NZ–India Free Trade Agreement Bill has only passed its first reading in June, and still has to clear select committee and its remaining readings.

The bill was referred to the foreign affairs select committee for public submissions, and Trade Minister Todd McClay said the Government is working towards ratification later this year — once the committee reports back and the implementing bill is passed.