Minister for Regulation on his Bill to guide good laws

A Regulatory Standards Bill, seeking to serve as a blueprint for good lawmaking will be introduced to parliament later this year. A discussion document circulated over the summer attracted 23,000 submissions. The concept of the Bill lies within the neoliberal school of thought, that is to reduce state influence, and prioritise the personal property rights and freedoms of individuals. Advocates have labelled it the missing `pillar' of a set of acts passed in the 1980s and 1990s. including the Reserve Bank Act, Public Finance Act, and Fiscal Responsibility Act. It would legislate principles, such as personal freedoms and property rights to guide governments when laws are being created. It also aims to improve the overall transparency of the law-making process. David Seymour says better laws which reduce the amount of red-tape for the public will drive productivity, and be better for the country overall. Critics of the bill however, say such a law would actually be counter-productive, resulting in duplication, extra costs and would constrain governments from considering principles not related to personal rights and property. The Minister for Regulation and leader of the Act Party David Seymour speaks to Kathryn Ryan.