By Bernard Hickey
Local Government Minister Paula Bennett has formally launched her Rules Reduction Taskforce aimed at finding 'loopy' property rules and regulations, naming the heads of the new body and setting up a website to solicit examples.
"People can now head to this rules reduction website, to start telling us what bugs them when it comes to loopy rules and regulations," Bennett said.
The Taskforce would be jointly chaired by National MP Jacqui Dean, who is the Parliamentary Private Secretary for Local Government, and Auckland Chamber of Commerce CEO Michael Barnett.
"Both Jacqui and Michael bring with them a strong understanding of the local government and business sectors and will be well placed to guide the Taskforce in its work to cut red tape," she said.
The remaining members of the Taskforce would be appointed within the next month, and would include central and local government experts, and specialists from the building and trades sector, with further announcements to come on the timeline for the Taskforce's work.
"I'm asking property owners, builders, tradespeople and businesses who have experienced the issues caused by irrelevant or unnecessary regulations, to help draw these to our attention," Bennett said.
The Taskforce would consider submissions and recommend changes.
"Central and local government need regulations which are effective, and help get the job done - not get in the way. Regulations that frustrate property owners and business people also suck up councils' precious resources in administration time and effort," she said.
"We need to hear from New Zealanders about examples that have got in the way of their building, renovation, landscaping, and home improvement plans, so that we can cut the red tape where it needs to be cut, to help them get on with the job."
Bennet first announced the creation of the Taskforce on July 23. See the video above of her announcing the taskforce in a Parliamentary question and Lynn Grieveson's article from that day, which elicited 51 comments.
Illegal jasmine
Bennett said in a later interview the Taskforce aimed to complete an initial report recommending some "quick wins" in March or April of next year. It would then issue a final report by the middle of next year with the potential for more substantial legislative change.
Bennett said some of the initial examples put forward were around inspections. She referred to one example of a home owner who had wanted to pull up some jasmine growing up a pool fence.
"It took two inspectors to come out twice, who then said it had to be modified because of where it was. It ended up costing thousands of dollars," she said.
Another example cited was of someone who wanted to make minor alterations to a toilet, but ended up having to install new lights, new push buttons and new paint at a cost of NZ$40,000.
Bennett said examples already cited were coming across New Zealand, including both smaller towns and bigger cities such as Auckland.
"Obviously they (councils) are risk averse. This is going to be the challenge with the task force," she said. Some of the risk aversion was legitimate around issues such as lead paint and leaky buildings, but it was now at a point that was nonsensical, she said.
Local Government New Zealand and Councils had been asked to recommend appointees for the taskforce, which is being run in tandem with one in Auckland led by Michael Barnett and one for the rest of the country led by Jacqui Dean.
Bennett said she was particularly interested to see if early anecdotes of more difficult rules in Auckland after the amalgamation of the councils was borne out in the Taskforce's final reports.
(Updated with comments from Paula Bennett in an interview)
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