Thank you for the opportunity to present our views on the Regulatory Standards Bill.
Democracy Action is in favour of the Bill. We approve of the aim to raise the standards for the formulation of laws and regulations. The decline in performance is clear; in 1998, New Zealand held the second position globally in terms of regulatory efficiency, but according to the OECD, it has now dropped to 20th place. We must act to enhance regulatory efficiency once again.
We support the codification of principles that underpin effective lawmaking. We applaud the intention to require ministers and government departments to adhere to clear principles in their law and regulation-making processes, including being precise about their objectives. We also strongly approve of the obligation for ministers to justify their regulatory decisions and the requirement to issue statements explaining how proposed regulations serve the public interest.
We support the purpose of the Bill, which aims to reduce unnecessary and poor-quality regulations by increasing transparency and clarifying instances where legislation falls short of standards. We approve of the intention to instil a level of discipline in regulatory management akin to that seen in New Zealand’s fiscal management.
We also support the stated aims of the Bill to:
- promote the accountability of the Executive to Parliament for developing high-quality legislation and exercising stewardship over regulatory systems; and
- support Parliament’s ability to scrutinise Bills; and
- support Parliament in overseeing and controlling the use of delegated powers to make legislation.
Furthermore, we endorse the Principles of Responsible Regulation articulated in Clause 8, particularly the provisions listed under the following headings:
- Rule of Law - notably the principle that “every person is equal before the law”.
- Liberties.
- The taking of property - which includes respecting property rights.
- Good law-making.
In conclusion, Democracy Action supports the Bill. It comprises many positive features, not least its potential to foster greater transparency by offering New Zealanders better information about what the government is doing and why, thereby strengthening democratic values.
On behalf of Democracy Action, thank you for considering our submission.