ACT’s Rod Hide has been pushing this bill for some time and he’s finally got it in the shape it needs to be in to make it to the Select Committee stage.
I have long argued that we need better regulatory institutions. By agreeing to introduce the Regulatory Standards Bill, and send it to a Select Committee for consideration, the Government has given New Zealanders the opportunity to debate what we truly value in terms of regulatory quality.
The Regulatory Standards Bill is the work of some of New Zealand’s finest legal and economic brains. Despite this, many government departments did not support the Government’s adoption of the Bill. This opposition – revealed in the Cabinet paper – is unsurprising; the Bill increases public scrutiny of public servants’ work, as well as that of Ministers.
If the Government intends to propose regulations that impair property rights, do not follow the rule of law or do not treat all citizens equally then I believe the Government should be up front and explicitly tell the public. That’s what this Bill requires.
Sounds pretty good Rodney. What say if you get it through, we first put it into operation by testing all of Nick Smith’s looney tune climate change regulations? I’d say they would be stopped dead. That’s probably the main reason your bill will die in committee. Good try Mr. Hide, but in the corrupt and twisted political situation NZ finds itself in today, especially as it applies to deep seated environmental insanity, you’ve got Buckley’s chance.
TrueblueNZ 
3 responses to “Regulatory Standards Bill Will Kill Nicks Smith’s Looney Climate Change Measures”
Interestingly enough this Bill was the topic of Rodney Hide’s Facebook update yesterday. I asked ‘Rodney, do you have examples of which legislation passed by the current socialist government would have been under threat had the Regulatory Standards Bill been in effect since 2008?’
His reply: ‘The Marine and Coastal Area (Takutai) Bill, The Emissions Trading Scheme. It doesn’t stop these Bills being passed, but it does mean that Ministers have to stand up and say it is inconsistent with the Reg Standards Bill and state the reasons why.’
So this Bill could be used to put real pressure on Ministers who introduce scam legislation (such as the dickhead Smith and his dopey emissions trading scam), or it could be seen as just another bureaucratic process to circumvent along with all the other due process elements successive Governments employ when trying to pass shady legislation.
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One problem is that we don’t have an upper house, a Constitution, judicial review of legislation, etc to stop or overturn really egreious law, this gives no pause to would be political tyrants – I’m no fan of bigger government but I am a fan of checks and balances…
I could live with say 61 (electorate only) MPs and 31 Senators…
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My point was that I don’t see the pliticos paying any attention to this as they don’t when the AG reports “human right act breaches”…
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