NZ Opens Public Complaints on Regulations Under New Law

The Regulatory Standards Board has been established to examine whether new and existing laws meet the principles of good regulation.

New Zealanders can now formally raise concerns about regulations they believe are unfair or poorly designed, following the introduction of the Regulatory Standards Act and the launch of the independent Regulatory Standards Board.

Regulation Minister David Seymour described the change as a major step in strengthening public oversight of government regulation. He said the new law gives people a dedicated place to challenge regulations instead of relying on the agencies responsible for enforcing them. The Board is now accepting complaints through the Ministry for Regulation's online complaints portal.

New Board to Review Laws and Regulatory Decisions

The Regulatory Standards Board has been established to assess whether new and existing laws adhere to the principles of good regulation. It will review Consistency Accountability Statements (CAS), which explain whether proposed legislation follows those principles and outline the reasoning, objectives, and possible alternatives behind new regulations.

The Board also has the authority to investigate existing legislation, either after receiving complaints from the public or by launching reviews on its own. Its findings will be published, allowing New Zealanders to see how regulations are assessed and judge the outcomes for themselves. The Government says placing these requirements in legislation creates a stronger level of accountability than previous regulatory assessment processes.

Public Invited to Report Problematic Regulations

According to the Government, New Zealand has more than 260 regulators, including 95 central government regulators, 79 local government regulators, and 57 statutory bodies, committees, or tribunals. Officials say the new framework is intended to improve transparency across this broad regulatory system.

David Seymour said regulations can have significant effects on people's businesses, property, and everyday lives, making public scrutiny an important part of the lawmaking process. He encouraged anyone who believes legislation is inconsistent with the principles of good regulation to submit a complaint through the Regulatory Standards Board's online portal hosted by the Ministry for Regulation.

The Government believes the new system will provide voters with clearer information about the impact of regulations while increasing accountability for those responsible for creating them.