Govt will reform laws governing society—Mr Palmer

Press, 17 October 1986, Page 5

Govt will reform laws governing society—Mr Palmer

The Government had decided to set up a unit to manage reform of the "vast” number of laws and regulations governing society, said the Minister of Justice, Mr Palmer, yesterday. He was addressing delegates to the Travel Agents’ Association of New Zealand at the Christchurch Town Hall before formally opening the association’s twentyfirst convention. The new Regulatory Reform Unit would be attached to the new Economic Development Commission and report to the Minister of Justice, Mr Palmer said. "The unit will have only six staff with primarily legal and economic expertise, and have the resources to examine all the proposed regulatory changes,” he said. “It will give its full attention to managing and co-ordinat-ing the regulatory reform process.” On a trial for one year, the unit would be responsible for initiating reform in areas where there was a lack of satisfactory progress with reforms, Mr Palmer said. The Government had yet to decide which areas of legislation the unit

would be responsible for reviewing in this first trial year. “The work of the unit will expose to the community the costs and benefits of Government interventions in society and in the economy. “New Zealanders are not simply over-regulated in the strict sense of regulations; we seem to be addicted to passing acts of Parliament as well. “All of this has, over the years, produced a tangle of red tape and restrictions on individual freedom. In the past, regulations have conferred broad and sweeping power on a few individuals.” Regulations should provide adequate protection to citizens, Mr Palmer said. “Our commitment to providing that protection is an integral part of opening up the democratic process and making the Government more accountable to the people. The economy would be in a better shape now if our previous politicians had not had the capacity to interfere with it by regulation.” , The chairman of the convention, Mr Glynn Braithwaite, introduced

the speakers who included the Mayor of Christchurch, Sir Hamish Hay, and the president of the Travel Association, Mr Bob Christey. Sir Hamish said that Christchurch needed to build on its floral image and enhance the attraction of the central city as much as possible. He introduced the captain of the Canterbury rugby team, Don Hayes, who carried the Ranfurly Shield on to the stage but with a long “string,” or red and black scarf, around his neck and attached to the Shield. At the other end of the scarf, where it became blue and white was a captain of the reigning Auckland Shield-holder, Andy Haden. Sir Hamish also introduced “Miss Canterbury,” Phillipa Hanson, and the Wizard, and read a welcoming telegram from the cricketer, Richard Hadlee, to the 600 delegates mainly from New Zealand and Australia. Mr Christey said that the “gloomy” days of New Zealand’s travel industry were behind it with a 20 per cent increase in out-ward-bound travellers and a 12 per cent increase in inward-bound travellers.