The Government is quietly undertaking consultation on the dangerous Regulatory Standards Bill over the Christmas period to avoid too much attention.

“The bill is another concession from Christopher Luxon to the ACT Party and would see far right thinking baked into our constitution,” Labour regulation spokesperson Duncan Webb said.

“It seeks to limit what Parliament can do – for example by giving priority to property rights over things like environmental standards.

“Good regulation is essential for a safe and thriving New Zealand. What this legislation would do is limit government’s right to make rules in the interests of all New Zealanders on anything from building rules to environmental protections.

“This legislation places property rights at the heart of our constitution – but it is silent on community wellbeing, climate and environmental protection. It makes no mention of Te Tiriti o Waitangi.

“The focus on property rights, individual freedoms, limiting government, and restricting taxes is straight out of the far-right playbook and does nothing for addressing inequity, lifting people out of poverty, ensuring health and education is available to all, and creating a safe community.

“The Bill is an unnecessary power grab and would make David Seymour the Rule-Czar, limiting the ability of other ministers to effectively operate and requiring them to certify compliance with his demands before they can make rules or laws.

“There are already adequate systems in place to protect the quality of Bills and David Seymour doesn’t follow them as it is,” Duncan Webb said.

The Bill has not yet been drafted – but you can have your say here. Submissions close 13 January.

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