Seymour’s red-tape bill under fire from disability ministry

Thursday, 26 June 2025

David Seymour’s red-tape bill has passed first reading and select committee submissions closed on Monday.

David Seymour is no stranger to controversy over his Regulatory Standards Bill — even mocking detractors as suffering from “derangement syndrome”. But there is also criticism from a government ministry.

New documents show the Ministry of Disabled People, Whaikaha, warned that the proposed legislation risks breaching New Zealand’s international obligations and could shut disabled people out of decisions that affect them.

Whaikaha told the Ministry for Regulation and Minister for Disability Issues Louise Upston that changes to the draft legislation — including narrowing the scope of public consultation and failing to assess its impact on disabled communities — could put New Zealand in breach of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

Whaikaha also warned the bill’s focus on protecting liberties like personal security and property rights could clash with existing human rights protections. It noted there was no clear guidance on how those tensions would be managed.

Green MP Francisco Hernandez said the issue was part of a wider pattern of exclusion.

Green MP Francisco Hernandez says the Government is “failing disabled communities” by pushing ahead with legislation that risks breaching New Zealand’s human rights obligations.

“The Government is again failing disabled communities, side-lining their voices and going against the grain of human rights conventions that our country is party to,” he said.

“Not only do we have a minister who ignores Whaikaha, he is pushing through highly contentious legislation lacking consultation with, and active input from, people who live with disabilities.”

The legislation creates “much uncertainty” for the disabled community, the Greens’ spokesperson for public services added. “Especially because it remains unclear if human rights can be protected when competing with other liberties and aspects of the ‘good law-making principle’ it purports to establish.

“Disabled communities deserve to have their rights upheld and needs met and it’s clear that the Regulatory Standards Bill could create a chilling effect against policies that will enable everyone in Aotearoa to have their rights upheld and needs met.”

Seymour and his ACT party have dismissed past criticism as hysteria, going so far as to nominate a “RSDS (Regulatory Standards Derangement Syndrome) victim of the week”.

Through a spokesperson, Acting Prime Minister Seymour said he rejected the assertion that the bill may breach international obligations.

Seymour rejected Whaikaha’s concerns, saying the bill had been widely consulted on and would come with guidance to support proper consultation.

“The bill expressly states that those who are ‘directly or materially’ affected should be consulted,” he said.

“It will continue to be the responsibility of specific agencies to ensure appropriate consultation has occurred when developing legislation.

“There will be guidance issued jointly by the Attorney-General and the Minister for Regulation to support agencies with this process. This guidance will be developed by the Ministry for Regulation in consultation with other agencies, including Whaikaha — Ministry of Disabled People.”

Seymour said the bill was widely publicly consulted on with almost 23,000 submissions received. “Further submissions on the bill are now being considered at select committee,” he said.

The bill aims to bring bring transparency to and set a benchmark for government regulation and create a Regulatory Standards Board to hear complaints.

Upston did not respond to questions. Neither did the Ministry for Regulation, instead pointing to Seymour’s comments and material published on its website.