Shakeup for regulatory impact statements – the bureaucratese will be shaken out
Regulation Minister David Seymour has taken another step in his deregulatory purge, requiring government agencies making new regulations to follow a more simplified and streamlined process from 1 January 2025.
The changes are notified in a Cabinet Office Circular published today (https://www.dpmc.govt.nz/publications/co-24-7-impact-analysis-requirements).
The aim is to make regulatory impact statements more easily read by ridding them of bureaucratese (can bureaucrats be taught how to do do that?) and by having them prepared only in situations where they are necessary (which means at least some are being prepared unnecessarily now).
Seymour says this will ensure the regulatory process is more efficient, transparent and effective.
“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.
Among the changes, agencies will now produce “more proportionate statements that include a new ‘at-a-glance’ coversheet to improve readability”.
The government is removing the requirement for an impact statement 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.
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 also provide “early-stage information” to the Ministry for Regulation when starting new regulatory proposals.’
Does that mean more paper work? Or less?
“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.”
The aim is to make regulatory impact statements more easily read by ridding them of bureaucratese (can bureaucrats be taught how to do do that?) and by having them prepared only in situations where they are necessary (which means at least some are being prepared unnecessarily now).
Seymour says this will ensure the regulatory process is more efficient, transparent and effective.
“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.
Among the changes, agencies will now produce “more proportionate statements that include a new ‘at-a-glance’ coversheet to improve readability”.
The government is removing the requirement for an impact statement 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.
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 also provide “early-stage information” to the Ministry for Regulation when starting new regulatory proposals.’
Does that mean more paper work? Or less?
“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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