The Regulatory Standards Act
The Regulatory Standards Act 2025 aims to improve the quality of regulation in New Zealand.
Good regulation can help governments to achieve their desired economic, environmental and social outcomes, support the effective operation of markets, and protect communities from harm.
The Regulatory Standards Act establishes a benchmark for good regulation through a set of regulatory principles based on good law-making and economic efficiency.
This Act aims to reduce the amount of unnecessary and poor regulation, by making it transparent where regulation does, or does not, meet the principles of responsible regulation.
The Act also establishes a Regulatory Standards Board and supports the Ministry for Regulation in our work to improve the quality of regulation.
Pathway to the Act
The Regulatory Standards Act was enacted on 18 November 2025.
A copy of the Act is available on the New Zealand Legislation websiteopen_in_new.
The Finance and Expenditure Select Committee considered the Bill and you can read the Committee’s report to Parliament on the Bill.open_in_new
Also see the departmental report and policy advice on the Billopen_in_new.
The departmental reportopen_in_new includes a broad summary of views on the Bill, detailed clause-by-clause analysis of submissions to the select committee, and identification of recommended changes.
More information
Regulatory Standards Bill: Consideration of Departmental Report (Cabinet Summary) (109 KB, Pdf)
Cabinet paper: Regulatory Standards Bill: Consideration of departmental report (257 KB, Pdf)
Cabinet paper: Annex 2: Regulatory Responsibility Taskforce Report (149 KB, Pdf)
Regulatory Standards Bill Departmental Reportopen_in_new
Briefing paper: Initial advice in response to submissions on the Bill (16 MB, Pdf)
Final Report of the Finance and Expenditure Committeeopen_in_new
More general information about the Regulatory Standards Bill
Regulatory Standards Bill 155-1 (2025) – New Zealand Legislationopen_in_new