New Zealand’s Minister for Regulatory Reform, Steven Joyce, and the Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Regulatory Reform, David Seymour, have released a draft bill to repeal a range of redundant legislation. The Statutes Repeal Bill will remove 120 pieces of superfluous legislation, and parts of eight other acts. It is being consulted on before it is introduced to Parliament.
“The proposed Bill would reduce the total number of public Acts in force by more than 10%,” Mr. Joyce says “By repealing legislation that is no longer needed we make the body of existing legislation easier for users to navigate and for departments to administer, We will be seeking feedback through an exposure draft from any party who thinks that they may be affected by the repeal of any legislation proposed for inclusion in the Bill, and from the legal community, who have the most experience dealing with legislation,” Mr. Joyce says.
Joyce explained that earlier this year the Government accepted a Productivity Commission recommendation to increase the use of exposure drafts to improve New Zealand’s regulatory system. The Statutes Repeal Bill currently proposes to repeal or partially repeal 120 Acts, it will reduce the total number of public Acts in force by 113, and the number of private Acts by 7.
“Consultation will ensure the Bill only repeals legislation that is redundant so that any repeals will not have adverse effects or unintended consequences on any party,” Mr. Seymour commented “Utilising the collective wisdom of the public can ensure Bills and regulations are of a high standard.”
