Hon David Seymour
Minister of Regulation

Regulation Minister David Seymour says that changes to the way regulations are made will ensure the process is more efficient, transparent and effective.

From 1 January 2025, government agencies making new regulations will follow a more simplified and streamlined process, saving time and energy by focusing only on what’s important.

The changes are notified in a Cabinet Office Circular published today. To find out more about the changes, go to https://www.dpmc.govt.nz/publications/co-24-7-impact-analysis-requirements.

“Ministers need access to good advice, but regulatory impact statements (RIS) are too often written in bureaucratese and required in situations that are unnecessary, taking resource away from more important matters,” says Mr Seymour.

“Taxpayers expect their taxes to go towards better public services that will help them make a difference in their own lives. These changes will free resource up to focus on the big issues, while improving accountability over regulation in each portfolio.

“Among the changes, agencies will now produce more proportionate statements that include a new 'at-a-glance' coversheet to improve readability.

“We’re also removing the requirement for an impact statement entirely where proposals have only limited impacts that are easy to assess, for example, the change in the Budget to increase the student loan interest rate by 1 per cent for overseas borrowers. This will reduce the number of regulatory impact statements produced.

“The focus on RISs will shift to changes that restrict the use and exchange of property, rather than being an all-purpose policy tool.

“Agencies must now also provide early-stage information to the Ministry for Regulation when starting new regulatory proposals.

“To ensure accountability, the Ministry will be publicly reporting on how well Ministerial portfolios are meeting their impact analysis requirements and will undertake periodic audits to ensure ongoing quality.

“These changes are part of the Government’s plan to improve the quality of regulation, creating the environment to lift productivity and wages and a better future for all New Zealanders.”

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