NEWS ON POLICY
AND POLITICS |
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MATTER OF OPINION NEWS Review of Parts 4 and 5 of the Commerce
Act 1986 Review of Building Code Announced IN
PARLIAMENT IN
CONSULTATION |
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A MATTER OF OPINION |
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End of the Golden Weather?In the aftermath of the so-called Bondi Budget, the One News/Colmar Brunton poll has given National a commanding nine point lead over Labour. For some pundits this might be taken as a sign that the government's golden weather has come to an end. The reality, though, is a bit harder to assess. Last year's polling showed often enough the volatility of the polls, with both parties commanding popular support at various points and, on at least one occasion, at the same time. That said, there can be no doubt that Labour is suffering the cumulative effect of a succession of Ministerial fumbles and sustained public concern about the capacity of its front bench to cope with the increasing demands of government. Circumstance and sentiment are moving against it and the dominant question is whether the pony has another trick left in it. In the past, that's never been an issue. The Prime Minister and her deputy have proven a potent combination, ably batting away criticism and shoring up faltering public confidence. But this time there is something about the appeals to Kiwi identity and the language of transformation that smacks of a government short on ideas. Those punters with a memory for the rhetoric of the innovative economy, the highly publicised economic summits and the war on compliance costs will have cause to wonder what the gains of all that have been, particularly in the face of the just-reported slump in New Zealand's international competitiveness. Against that backdrop, announcements by Commerce Minister, Lianne Dalziel, of a review of business friendly regulatory frameworks and the Prime Minister's dismissal of critics as "unpatriotic", sound hollow in the one case and worrying in the other. Whatever satisfaction might be felt on National's side of the House, the Opposition is not yet the author of its own success. For all that National may have grounds for thinking it receives unequal treatment from media too willing to glory in its missteps, it still has problems that are decidedly of its own making. Among them is the abiding public perception that it is uncaring and out of touch. Socially conservative and reluctant to alienate its provincial constituencies, National has been left trying to straddle the divide between rural and urban sentiment. Policy consistency is proving elusive as a result, adding weight to those who would assert that the Opposition stands for nothing. Take the philosophical cri de coeur of 'one law for all'. It looks principled enough in theory, but when it comes to Maori customary property rights and the Foreshore and Seabed legislation that view in practice is a little more fragile. Endeavouring to hold to a position that will not upset Kiwis affronted by the idea that some infinitesimal part of the coastline may be off limits to people who will never visit it, the Party risks cementing itself in an anti-Maori sentiment that in large part it doesn't actually feel. This is the essence of National's wider problem, namely insufficient touchstones upon which to base its policies and a solid commitment to them. Pragmatism has long been advanced as one of the Party's strengths and so it may be, but the line between pragmatism and opportunism is tissue thin. It's this that the Party will need to address before the pundits will be safe in reading a victory from National's present lead in the polls. For the government, a nine percentage point arrears does not a winter make.
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NEWS |
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Easter Trading Bill IntroducedLabour's Steve Chadwick has introduced a Members Bill that would give local authorities the power to decide whether retail shops in their districts may open on Easter Sunday. The Bill will receive its first reading on the next Members Day, 14 June, when it is likely to be referred to Select Committee. Review of Regulatory FrameworksCommerce Minister, Hon Lianne Dalziel has announced a wide ranging review of regulatory frameworks. The review aims to identify and address constraints to economic growth caused by regulatory frameworks. It will be carried out by an inter-departmental Quality Regulation Taskforce led by the Ministry of Economic Development and overseen by a Ministerial Group for Quality Regulation. The review will focus on four main areas:
The food and beverage industry (with wine included as a sub-sector) is one of the first sectors in line for study, which will involve consideration of the cumulative impact of regulation. The study is expected to link with the strategy centred around the Food and Beverage Taskforce, September's trans-Tasman Food and Beverage Dialogue and Export 2007. The Minister is expected to report back on the review by 31 July 2007, with a first milestone report at 31 October 2006 and a second milestone report by 31 March 2007. The business consultation website already has an online submission process, along with a submission form that can be downloaded, at www.businessconsultation.govt.nz. The Government is also encouraging businesses to utilise existing business networks such as Chambers of Commerce and Business NZ as conduits for their views. Review of Parts 4 and 5 of the Commerce Act 1986It's been a busy few days for the Commerce Minister. In addition to announcing the review of regulatory frameworks, Lianne Dalziel has also announced a review of Parts 4 and 5 of the Commerce Act, which relate to control of goods and services and authorisations and clearances, respectively. The review has not yet been formally scoped but will be led by the Ministry of Economic Development and is expected to begin later this year. The Government is responding to concerns our competition laws unduly hamper the creation of globally competitive firms. The review will canvas the appropriateness and effectiveness of the current thresholds for control and decision making processes. However, Dalziel has noted that said the "substantial lessening of competition" test was not likely to be examined. She also indicated that merits reviews of Commerce Commission decisions would be considered, although this may be deferred or dismissed due to problems of cost and delay. Review of Building Code AnnouncedThis week Building Issues Minister, Hon Clayton Cosgrove released a discussion document on the Building Code. The document, "Building for the 21st Century - Review of the Building Code" is the first substantive review of the Building Code since its introduction in 1991. Energy efficiency, a change in environmental focus and an expansion of the list of hazards affecting structural safety standards to include coastal erosion in addition to tsunami, wildfire, landslide and eruption. A copy of the discussion document is available on the website of the Department of Building and Housing: www.dbh.govt.nz
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IN PARLIAMENT |
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Bills IntroducedAppropriation (2005/06 Supplementary Estimates) Bill - Hon Dr Michael Cullen The Bill seek the authorisation of parliament for the individual appropriations and changes contained in the Supplementary Estimates for the year ending 30 June 2006. Consumer's Right to Know (Food Information) Bill - Members Bill - Sue Kedgley (Greens) The Bill would require the Government to introduce a labelling system for food sold in New Zealand. The system would provide "consumers with sufficient accurate and meaningful information to enable them to make informed food purchasing decisions about genetically engineered foods and ingredients in the food chain, as well as the country of origin of foods". Local Government (Rating Cap) Amendment Bill - Members Bill - Rodney Hide (Act) The Bill caps the level of rates increase that local authorities may impose on residents in any one year or in any proposed three-year period. The Bill proposes the cpi+x formula recently adopted for the electricity industry. The Bill's first reading has been deferred to the third week of July. Resource Management (Security for Costs) Amendment Bill - Members Bill - Kate Wilkinson (National) The Bill would restore the power of Judges in the Environment Court to order a party to give security for costs. Shop Trading Hours Act Repeal (Easter Trading) Amendment Bill A members bill in the name of Steve Chadwick (Labour). The Bill would give local authorities the power to decide whether retail shops in their districts may open on Easter Sunday. Taxation (Annual Rates, savings Investment and Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill - Hon Peter Dunne The Bill sets the tax rates for the 2006 - 2007 tax year, aligns the tax treatment of individual investors who save by investing directly in shares and the tax treatment of investors who use financial intermediaries, and makes miscellaneous amendments to tax law. Waste Minimisation (Solids) Bill A private members' bill in the name of Nandor Tanczos (Greens). The Bill provides for the development of a national waste minimisation framework, as well as changes intended to reduce the amount of waste created and promote reuse and recycling whenever possible. The Bill's First Reading has been deferred until June 14. First Readings Appropriation (2006/07 Estimates Bill - Hon Dr Michael Cullen (18.5.06) The Bill seeks the authorisation of Parliament for the individual appropriations contained in the Estimates for the year ending June 2007 and presented to the House as part of the Budget documentation. Marine Reserves (Consultation with Stakeholders) Amendment Bill - Members Bill - Eric Roy (National) The Bill seeks to ensure early consultation in the preparation of any application for the declaration of a marine reserve, for the purposes of promoting wide community support for such an application. The Bill would:
Bills Before Select CommitteeOpen for submissions
Submissions closed
Second ReadingChildren, Young Persons and Their Families Amendment Bill (No 4) Committee stageCoroners Bill
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| The current government reports and discussion papers released for consultation are: |
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LinksThis
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© Russell McVeagh 2005. All rights reserved.