Wide range of ‘red tape’ complaints

Press, 27 March 1979, Page 2

Wide range of ‘red tape’ complaints

PA Wellington'. Complaints about Govern-* ment and local body red! tape have been flowing into| the office of the Labour] member of Parliament fori. Lyttelton (Mrs Ann Hercus). I Mrs Hercus is convener of! Labour’s “red tape” com-i mittee set up earlier this year to examine complaints! of “over-regulation.” The committee has written to hundreds of organisations! asking for submissions. L Mrs Hercus said yesterday that some of the submis-i sions received so far dealt! with specific complaints: about the amount of red tape involved in: The granting of visas, work ! permits, and student], entry and extension per-], mits by the immigration!] division of the Labour! Department. I Complaints about the appli- 1 cation of the road users’ > tax which, Mrs Hercus 1 said, had been described < as a “bureaucratic 1 nightmare.” <s

A complaint that a company wanting to open a factory had to consult 23 separate Government agencies. A complaint that a company exporting canned fish was required to label its cans in New Zealand even though the labels had to be stripped off and replaced by new ones once the fish was exported. Complaints that the Town and Country Planning Act passed last year was causing big problems for local body officers, legal and planning consultants. Mrs Hercus said that reactions from organisations had generally been positive and helpful. The committee would present a position paper to the public later this year and this would be used as the basis for an evaluation of Labour Party policy before the next election, she said.