Labour leader Chris Hipkins has criticized the Act Party for advocating for better lawmaking while the coalition government rushes through law changes under urgency on the same day, labeling it as “absolute hypocrisy”.
On Wednesday, David Seymour announced that Cabinet had approved the proposal for the Regulatory Standards Bill, which outlines new checks and balances for effective lawmaking. However, this announcement coincided with the government fast-tracking legislation that would make it more challenging to advocate for equal pay in sectors predominantly occupied by female workers.
The equity law changes introduced by Minister of Workplace Relations Minister Brooke van Velden have faced backlash due to the speed at which they are being pushed through without proper consultation. A regulatory impact statement analyzing the potential effects of the pay equity changes was notably missing.
Hipkins criticized the lack of opportunity for scrutiny of the bill, stating, “They still haven’t released the advice they relied upon to push through this law change. So not only is this law change lacking the scrutiny it deserves, but the government isn’t adequately explaining why they are implementing it.”
He also highlighted the hypocrisy of the Act Party, pointing out that while David Seymour talks about the need for improving regulatory systems in New Zealand, his government is rushing through a law change without proper regulatory scrutiny.
Green Party co-leader Chloe Swarbrick echoed similar sentiments, calling the situation “abhorrent” and noting the blindsiding impact of the pay equity changes on women actively engaged in negotiations.
Regulation Minister David Seymour defended the decision to bypass a regulatory impact statement, stating that such analyses could be conducted after the fact. He emphasized the government’s need to provide legal clarity and certainty quickly, especially when removing restrictions.
National Party Cabinet Minister Chris Bishop supported the government’s decision, stating that sometimes Parliament must act swiftly without requiring regulatory impact statements.
New Zealand First leader Winston Peters dismissed concerns about the law changes, citing previous successful instances of similar legislation in 2017.
