Regulatory systems amendment bills

What are Regulatory Systems Amendment Bills?

Regulatory Systems Amendment Bills (RSABs) are a legislative vehicle used by MBIE and other large regulatory agencies.
 
RSABs aim to improve regulatory systems by ensuring that they are effective, efficient and align with best regulatory practice. The amendments in these Bills achieve this by:

• clarifying and updating statutory provisions in each Act amended, to better give effect to the purpose of that Act and its provisions
• addressing regulatory duplication, gaps, errors, and inconsistencies within and between different pieces of legislation
• keeping the regulatory system up to date and relevant
• removing unnecessary compliance and implementation costs.

An RSAB is an omnibus bill (a bill that amends more than one piece of legislation) introduced with the approval of the parliamentary Business Committee under Standing Order 267(1)(c).

MBIE’s Regulatory Systems Amendment Bills

MBIE and other large regulatory agencies began to progress regular RSABs after the Productivity Commission’s Regulatory institutions and practices report of 2014 noted it could be difficult to find time on the parliamentary calendar for ‘repairs and maintenance’ of existing legislation. RSABs are consistent with the general responsibilities of departmental chief executives for the stewardship of legislation administered by their agency.

MBIE’s RSABs have comprised two or three associated bills (which can be considered together in their first, second and third parliamentary readings). MBIE’s RSAB usually include:

• a Commercial Matters/Economic Development Bill – mainly covering amendments in the Commerce and Consumer Affairs portfolio, referred to the Economic Development, Science and Innovation Committee for consideration
• a Workplace Relations/Immigration Bill – covering amendments in the Immigration and Workplace Relations and Safety portfolios, referred to the Education and Workforce Committee for consideration.

They may also include other bills that address matters that would be considered by a different select committee than the above bills, such as building and housing.

Regulatory Systems Amendment Bill (No 1)

The Regulatory Systems Amendment Bill (No 1) was introduced on 12 October 2016 and passed on 23 March 2017. The RSAB No 1 package comprised:

• the Regulatory Systems (Building and Housing) Amendment Act 2017, containing 44 amendments to two Acts
• the Regulatory Systems (Commercial Matters) Amendment Act 2017, containing 140 amendments to 16 Acts
• the Regulatory Systems (Workplace Relations) Amendment Act 2017, containing 8 amendments to two Acts.

Key links

Regulatory Systems (Building and Housing) Amendment Act 2017(external link) — New Zealand Legislation

Regulatory Systems (Commercial Matters) Amendment Act 2017(external link) — New Zealand Legislation

Regulatory Systems (Workplace Relations) Amendment Act 2017(external link) — New Zealand Legislation

Regulatory Systems Amendment Bill (No 2)

The Regulatory Systems Amendment Bill (No 2) was introduced on 12 December 2018 and passed on 7 November 2019. The RSAB No 2 package comprised:

• the Regulatory Systems (Economic Development) Amendment Act 2019, containing 130 amendments to 14 Acts
• the Regulatory Systems (Workforce) Amendment Act 2019, containing 18 amendments to three Acts
• the Regulatory Systems (Housing) Amendment Act 2019, containing four amendments to two Acts.

Key links

Regulatory Systems (Economic Development) Amendment Act 2019(external link) — New Zealand Legislation

Regulatory Systems (Workforce) Amendment Act 2019(external link) — New Zealand Legislation

Regulatory Systems (Housing) Amendment Act 2019(external link) — New Zealand Legislation 

Regulatory Systems Amendment Bill (No 3)

The third package of MBIE RSABs comprised two Bills:

• The Regulatory Systems (Economic Development) Amendment Bill amends 24 Acts and related regulations
• The Regulatory Systems (Immigration and Workforce) Amendment Bill amends 7 Acts and related regulations.

Cabinet made policy decisions about the original Bills in July 2019. The COVID-19 pandemic delayed the progress of these Bills, and Cabinet decided in May 2021 to combine the original Bills with the amendments that had been identified for a fourth set of Bills.

In May 2024, Cabinet approved the introduction of the Bills, agreed to rescind or amend some previous Cabinet decisions, and agreed to include some additional matters in the Bills.

The Bills were introduced on 23 May 2024 and had a first reading on 23 July 2024. The Bills received royal assent on 29 March 2025.

Key links

Regulatory Systems Amendment Bill (No 4)

The fourth set of MBIE RSABs will comprise of two Bills:

• the Regulatory Systems (Commercial Matters) Amendment Bill which seeks to amends 16 Acts; and
• the Regulatory Systems (Energy and Resources) Amendment Bill amends six Acts.

Cabinet has made policy decisions on the Bills in September 2025. Next, the Bills will be drafted.

Key links