The timeline of the Government’s major regulatory related decisions.
This illustrates how the Government’s regulatory strategy has evolved over time, moving away from standardised requirements imposed by Ministers and central agencies to a strategy that taps the professionalism and contextual knowledge of the agencies that have the stewardship responsibility for government regulation. The timeline also shows how the RIA regime has developed since its establishment in 1998.
| Year | Government policy | Regulatory quality tools |
|---|---|---|
| 1994 | Govt releases Business Compliance Cost Reduction policy/discussion paper. | |
| 1996 | Compliance Costs Statements required for Cabinet papers. | |
| 1997 |
Quality of Regulatory Interventions Review Government agrees to Code of Good Regulatory Practice, Generic Policy development process, Regulatory Impact Statements (RIS). Government investigates but later rejects a Regulatory Responsibility Act, and a Regulatory Taskforce to assess regulation stock. |
|
| 1998 |
RIS required for Cabinet papers. |
|
| 2000 | The Compliance Cost reduction programme is established. | |
| 2001 |
RIS requirements strengthened. Business Compliance Cost Statements put in RISs. |
|
| 2007 |
RIA requirements strengthened. Publication requirements extended to all RISs. |
|
| 2008 | RIAU transferred from MED to Treasury. Regulatory Reform Ministerial portfolio established. |
|
| 2009 | Government Statement on Regulation: “Better regulation, less regulation” released. | Regulatory Review Programme is established. RIA requirements strengthened PIRA required at start of policy process. Department must own RIS advice, must sign RIS. Must disclose gaps, limitations of analysis. Post-implementation reviews for poor/no RIS. Annual regulatory plans and scans required. |
| 2011 | Regulatory Standards Bill proposed by independent Regulatory Responsibility Taskforce is introduced. | |
| 2013 |
State Sector Act makes department chief executives responsible for stewardship of legislation administered by department. Govt releases Initial Expectations for Regulatory Stewardship for departments. |
Departmental Disclosure Statement required when a Government Bill or substantive SOP introduced. |
| 2015 | Government responds to NZ Productivity Commission report on Regulatory Institutions and Practices |
Government Regulatory Practice Initiative (G-REG) is established Legislation Design and Advisory Committee (LDAC) is established |
| 2016 | Major regulatory departments publish their first departmental regulatory stewardship strategies | |
| 2017 | Government releases updated “Government Expectations for Good Regulatory Practice” |