Regulatory Standards Board

About the Regulatory Standards Board

The Regulatory Standards Board is an independent statutory body established under the Regulatory Standards Act 2025. It considers whether legislation is consistent with the Act’s principles of responsible regulation, that focus on good lawmaking, and the impact of legislation on rights and liberties.

See the members of the Regulatory Standards Board

Roles and functions

The Regulatory Standards Board:

• Considers the quality of Consistency Accountability Statements prepared for new legislation.
• Inquires into the consistency of existing legislation with the principles of responsible regulation.
• Undertakes inquiries:
  • following a complaint from a member of the public, or
  • on its own initiative.
• Reports publicly on its findings and any recommendations.

The Board’s findings are advisory and non‑binding. 

Making a complaint to the Board

Members of the public may make a complaint about legislation they consider is inconsistent with the principles of the Regulatory Standards Act. The Board may then carry out an inquiry into the specific legislation. The Board will start holding inquiries into existing legislation from 1 July 2026.

Submit your complaint through the complaints submission form.

Relationship with the Ministry for Regulation

The Ministry for Regulation provides secretariat and operational support to the Regulatory Standards Board, including maintaining the complaints system. The Board operates independently when carrying out its statutory functions.

The Regulatory Standards Act

The Regulatory Standards Act 2025 establishes the Regulatory Standards Board and sets out its role, functions, and independence.

The Regulatory Standards Act 2025 sets out:

• The principles of responsible regulation
• The requirements for assessing legislation against those principles
• The functions and independence of the Regulatory Standards Board.

See the Regulatory Standards Act 2025open_in_new