A group of prominent, and well known New Zealanders, has written an open letter to the Government against the Regulatory Standards Bill. In a press release earlier on Thursday the group has said; “As some of the country’s senior lawyers and researchers in a range of disciplines (law, economics, Tiriti o Waitangi, public policy, environment), including a former Prime Minister and two New Zealanders of the Year, we cannot stand by as the Regulatory Standards Bill is rushed through a parliamentary select committee next week.”
They go on to say “Each of us has written extensively and spoken out against this Bill from our respective areas of expertise. Many of us have done so for the three previous iterations of this Bill when it was promoted unsuccessfully by the Act Party and the Business Round Roundtable (later, the New Zealand Institute).”
“The Bill could have profound constitutional consequences. It establishes a set of principles as a benchmark for good legislation/regulation, many of which are highly questionable and designed to establish a presumption in favour of a libertarian view of the role of the state – one that ceased to have any currency globally more than a century ago. Te Tiriti o Waitangi has been excluded altogether. The power vested in the Minister for Regulation and a ministerial-appointed board is not subject to the normal accountabilities of Crown entities, conferring significant yet largely unaccountable authority on the executive.”
“Professor Emeritus Jonathan Boston, Dr Geoffrey Bertram, Dr Bill Rosenberg and Dr Max Harris have indicated they want to address the committee to reinforce their submissions. In Professor Boston’s view:
“The current Bill is destined to have a very short and ignominious life as an Act of Parliament: it enjoys virtually no public support; it lacks cross-party backing; it is opposed by the very Ministry that will be responsible for its implementation; and it endorses principles that have been found wanting by multiple generations of people throughout the world”.
Those backing the call include:
- Dame Anne Salmond
- Sir Geoffrey Palmer
- Professor Emeritus Jonathan Boston
- Professor Andrew Geddis
- Dr Jim Salinger
- Dr Geoff Bertram
- Dr Bill Rosenberg
- Dr Max Harris
- Professor Emeritus Jane Kelsey
Sir Geoffrey Palmer, a former Prime Minister of New Zealand, has been a prominent figure in discussions surrounding the Treaty of Waitangi and Māori rights. He has advocated for a modern understanding of the Treaty and its implications for the country’s constitutional framework. He has also been a vocal critic of some proposed legislation regarding the Treaty, emphasizing the need for proper process and meaningful consultation with Māori.
The full statement can be found here
Image sourced here: https://www.politik.co.nz/this-could-be-the-last-time/
