12. TIM MACINDOE (National—Hamilton West) Link to this
to the Minister for Regulatory Reform
What recent initiatives has the Government announced to cut red tape and lift the quality of regulation in New Zealand?
Hon RODNEY HIDE (Minister for Regulatory Reform) Link to this
The Minister of Finance and I yesterday released the Government Statement on Regulation, which guarantees better regulations and fewer of them. Specifically, this Government will, firstly, introduce new regulation only when we are satisfied that it is required, reasonable, and robust, and, secondly, review existing regulation in order to identify and remove requirements that are unnecessary, ineffective, or excessively costly. That is a big step up from the nanny State of the previous Government.
The statement will be backed up by the following four measures: firstly, regulatory scans will be undertaken by agencies responsible for regulation on a systematic basis, to identify regulation that is unnecessary, ineffective, or excessively costly; secondly, there will be annual regulatory plans of all known and anticipated proposals to introduce, amend, repeal, or review legislation; thirdly, there will be enhanced certification requirements for departments and Ministers, to strengthen accountability for meeting the Government’s regulatory commitments; and, fourthly, there will be post-implementation reviews for proposals that are formally assessed by Treasury’s regulatory impact analysis team as being inadequate.
Hon Lianne Dalziel Link to this
Why has the Minister simply restated the previous Government’s policy, implemented after the Quality Regulation Review?
I do not begin to understand why that former Minister would think these measures are anything like what the previous Government actually undertook. I suggest that the former Minister actually reads the statement.
What other steps is the Government taking to cut red tape and lift the quality of regulation in New Zealand?
The Government has also established a Regulatory Responsibility Taskforce to recommend changes to the Regulatory Responsibility Bill, aimed at increasing accountability and transparency around lawmaking. The task force is due to report in September 2009, and once again I look forward to receiving the support of Lianne Dalziel and of the Labour Party for this measure.
Hon Lianne Dalziel Link to this
Does reasserting Kiwi values like individual autonomy and responsibility mean that the Minister thinks the owners of leaky buildings and investors in failed finance companies should take personal responsibility for the consequences of their investments; if so, what protection does he think it is appropriate for the Government to offer through regulation?
No, I do not. What I know is that New Zealanders made a very, very clear statement at the last election, which was that they were sick of a nanny State Government that always thought it knew best and wanted to tell New Zealanders what to do. I have to say that people are very pleased that we actually have a Government that stands up for Kiwis and the Kiwi values of individual freedom and responsibility. I point out that the previous Government talked long and hard—
Mr SPEAKERHon Lianne Dalziel Link to this
I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. In respect of that answer, was it acceptable to answer no to a question, and then continue by providing an abusive set of responses that had nothing to do with the question I put to the Minister?
I hear the point of order the member has made; she makes a good point of order. Where the answer to a question is no, it should not be followed up with a further response that attacks the Opposition, unless, of course, the question that was asked was politically loaded. On this occasion it was not very politically loaded—I accept that. That is why I stood to stop the Minister continuing.