Submission on the Regulatory Standards Bill
The Commissioner has made a submission to the Finance and Expenditure Committee on the Regulatory Standards Bill, which builds on a previous submission he made on a consultation document.
The submission reiterates his argument that the proposed regulatory principles do not provide guidance on how to manage publicly owned or managed resources, or how to balance them against private property rights.
The Commissioner argues that without qualification, current provisions could be interpreted to mean that regulations cannot prevent people from polluting or damaging property in public or common ownership.
He recommends that the Bill does not proceed. If it does, it should clarify that its provisions do not confer a right to pollute water or air, contaminate the soil or destroy significant indigenous biodiversity.
His submission further states that the Bill does not address the key challenges for achieving quality regulation, nor is it the most cost-effective solution for improving the regulatory management system