New Regulatory Standards Board Appointed to Enhance Oversight and Accountability in NZ

Regulation Minister David Seymour welcomes the appointment of the Regulatory Standards Board (the Board), established by the Regulatory Standard Act 2025 (the Act).

The Board will provide expert oversight and advice on new and existing regulation. It will assess laws against principles of good regulatory practice, including necessity, proportionality, transparency, and consistency with the rule of law, says Mr Seymour.

The Board will be a strong watchdog. It will make sure the costs of regulations are made clear to voters.

The Board will review the quality of Consistency Accountability Statements (CAS), which show whether a Bill is consistent with the principles of good regulation. It ensures the public know who is putting costs onto them, how, and why, so they can judge.

The Board can also review existing laws. This can be to respond to complaints, or on its own initiative. Its assessments will be published, and the public can pass their own judgement.

New Zealanders are invited to submit their complaints about inconsistent legislation to the Board, via the Ministry for Regulation website.

Mr Paul Ridley-Smith has been appointed as Chairperson of the Board.

Mr Ridley-Smith has a strong understanding of regulation and will bring an impartial and balanced perspective as Chair of the Board. His background includes customer and consumer relations, government relations, regulatory risk, commercial law, financing, investment banking, real estate development, and aged care provision, Mr Seymour says.

The other members of the board are: Mr Ian Chamberlain Ms Julie Hardaker Professor Ananish Chaudhuri Mr Carl Hansen Dr Nicola Swain The Board will begin operating when Part 2 of the Regulatory Standards Act 2025 comes into force on 1 July 2026.

Mr Paul Ridley-Smith (Chair) has a background in law and business and has held senior leadership roles at HRL Morrison & Co/Infratil, Contact Energy Limited, Buddle Findlay, and Linklaters in Hong Kong and New York. He has extensive governance experience including as the Chair of Manawa Energy Limited (previously Trustpower Limited), Snapper Services Limited and iSite Media Limited.

Mr Ian Chamberlain is currently a member of the P3604 Timber Framed Buildings Review Committee at Standards New Zealand and has served in various capacities at the Building Officials Institute of NZ. He is a member of several professional organisations, including the Institute of Directors, Building Officials Institute of NZ, and Passive House Institute NZ.

Ms Julie Hardaker currently holds several board roles, including Director at Water Services Authority - Taumata Arowai, Deputy Chair at Bay Venues Limited, and member of the Charities Registration Board. She was previously the Deputy Chair at Auckland Transport, Chair of Governance New Zealand Inc and Chair of the Environmental Protection Authority. Ms Hardaker is a Chartered Fellow of the global Chartered Governance Institute and holds an MMS (Hons) 1st Class and an LLB (Hons) 1st Class from the University of Waikato.

Professor Ananish Chaudhuri is a leading inter-disciplinary researcher with an extensive record of policy engagement, and public commentator. He has published articles in leading scholarly journals and is the author of four critically acclaimed books including two textbooks, one in economics principles and another in experimental economics that are used globally. He is a member of various professional organisations and has been involved in significant service roles, including consulting for MinterEllisonRuddWatts and testifying in the New Zealand High Court. Professor Chaudhuri has a Ph. D. and M.A. in Economics from Rutgers University in New Brunswick, an M.A. in Economics from Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi, and a B.Sc, in Economics from Presidency College, Calcutta University.

Mr Carl Hansen is an experienced leader in organisational change, his previous roles include Chief Executive of the Electricity Authority and various positions at M-co New Zealand Limited. He holds a Master of Arts in Economics from the University of Michigan and a Bachelor of Social Sciences with First Class Honours in Economics from the University of Waikato.

Dr Nicola Swain is an Associate Professor at the University of Otago, she has a Bachelor of Science (Honours) and a PhD. Dr Swain has over 15 years of governance experience in regulatory, tribunal, and ethics decision-making frameworks. She has served as a lay member and Deputy Chair of the Medical Sciences Council and a member of the Human Rights Review Tribunal, hearing claims under the Human Rights Act, Privacy Act, and Health and Disability Commissioner Act.