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A massive data mapping project by the Ministry for Regulation has revealed New Zealand has at least 267 regulatory organisations, with a landscape that is heavily fragmented, unevenly resourced, and increasingly complex.
The final report on the state of New Zealand’s regulatory systems, made public on Wednesday, brings together hidden or dispersed datasets from across government agencies for the first time.
Regulation Minister David Seymour said the mapping exposed decades of overlap and complexity, revealing a “twisted spaghetti of regulators” that drives up costs, creates long delays, and weakens accountability.
“In New Zealand there are over 260 regulators. This includes 95 in central government, 79 in local government, and 57 statutory bodies, committees, or tribunals,” Seymour said.
“Whether you want to build a home, start a business, or own a dog, you’re navigating a system that has gathered layer upon layer of bad regulation, for over 25 years. No one knew the scale of the problem, let alone set about fixing it.”
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