Hon CHRISTOPHER FINLAYSON (Attorney-General) on behalf of the Minister of Local Government: I move, That the Regulatory Improvement Bill be now read a second time. In so doing I thank the Commerce Committee for its consideration of the bill, and I also acknowledge those who made oral and written submissions. The committee’s report includes some useful recommendations that I believe will improve processes and, importantly, reduce compliance costs. The bill provides an opportunity to improve the quality of regulation in New Zealand by recommending small but none the less very important amendments to nine Acts. As was indicated in the Minister’s first reading speech, the provisions in the bill came out of the Quality Regulation Review undertaken by the previous Government in 2006 and 2007. I thank the member for Christchurch East for initiating and championing the work that has resulted in this bill.
