Disclosure statements for government legislation

Disclosure statements formed part of New Zealand's legislative transparency framework from 2013 to June 2026.

Disclosure statements were departmental documents that accompanied most government Bills and Amendment Papers when introduced to the House. They provided information about:

• the policy objectives of proposed legislation
• key development and consultation processes
• significant powers or unusual legislative features that may have warranted further explanation.

While disclosure statements are no longer required, previously published statements remain available and may be useful to agencies, researchers, parliamentary advisers and members of the public seeking information about the development of legislation introduced during that period.

New Zealand Legislation Disclosuresopen_in_new

The guidance and templates below are retained for reference purposes only. They do not reflect current legislative requirements and should not be used to meet obligations under the Regulatory Standards Act 2025.

However, people may find these resources useful to explain how information about policy development, consultation, testing and legislative design was previously disclosed alongside legislation.

Guidance

Quick Guide to Disclosure Statements

Disclosure Statements for Government Legislation: Technical Guide for Departments

Templates

Disclosure Statement Template for a Government Bill

Full Disclosure Statement Template for Amendments to a Bill

Short-form Disclosure Statement Template for Amendments to a Bill

If you have questions on the disclosure statements, please contact our regulatory stewardship team:

stewardship@regulation.govt.nz