Hon David Seymour
Minister for Regulation

Regulation Minister David Seymour has today announced the next steps in the Government’s plan improve the quality of regulation by opening consultation on a proposed Regulatory Standards Bill.

“New Zealand's low wages can be blamed on low productivity, and low productivity can be blamed on poor regulation,” says Mr Seymour.

“To lift productivity and wages, ACT’s coalition agreement includes a commitment to pass a Regulatory Standards Act.

“The Bill will codify principles of good regulatory practice for existing and future regulations,” says Mr Seymour.

“It seeks to bring the same level of discipline to regulation that the Public Finance Act brings to public spending, with the Ministry for Regulation playing a role akin to that of Treasury.

“Some regulations operate differently in practice than they do in theory. To make regulators accountable to the New Zealanders they regulate, the Bill contains a recourse mechanism, by establishing a Regulatory Standards Board. The Board will assess complaints and challenges to regulations, issuing non-binding recommendations and public reports.

“If we raise the political cost of making bad laws by allowing New Zealanders to hold regulators accountable, the outcome will be better law-making, higher productivity, and higher wages.

“The Bill is the culmination of nearly 25 years of work. I would like to acknowledge those who have paved the way for regulatory reform in 2024.

“I encourage everyone with an interest in good regulation to have their say.”

Consultation on a proposed Regulatory Standards Bill will be open until Monday 13 January 2025.

Notes:

• Particular acknowledgements go to Dr Bryce Wilkinson, whose book "Constraining Government Regulation" laid important groundwork for this Bill. Special thanks also go to Dr Graham Scott, Jack Hodder KC, and other members of the Regulatory Responsibility Taskforce, who refined the Bill in 2009.
• Please find the Ministry for Regulation engagement hub here: Ministry for Regulation - Citizen Space.

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