Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has signalled the law could be changed after her Government found it would be difficult to deny an oil expoloration permit to the world's largest seismic survey ship.
Greenpeace is calling on the Government to decline a permit to the 125-metre Amazon Warrior, which arrived in New Zealand waters today to search for oil on behalf of Austrian company OMV.
A decision on granting a permit will be made soon.
Ardern, who during the election campaign said climate change was her generation's nuclear free moment, said it had become clear that the Government is legally bound by "some quite strict criteria" when assessing exploration permit applications.
"The question for us now is, is that criteria fit for purpose.