The Civil Defence Emergency Management Act 2002 creates a framework within which New Zealand can prepare for, deal with, and recover from local, regional and national emergencies.
In 2016 the Civil Defence Emergency Management Act 2002 was amended to strengthen the legislative framework for recovery to help communities get back on their feet more quickly after an emergency.
On 13 May 2020 changes to the Civil Defence Emergency Management Act 2002 were made to ensure a nationally consistent approach to the response to and management of risks arising from COVID-19, and to better deal with concurrent emergencies during COVID-19. These changes are in place until up to 12 May 2022 (two years from commencement of the COVID-19 Public Health response Act 2020), unless revoked earlier.