Regulatory Philosophy and Frameworks
Why is this a priority?
With its extensive regulatory responsibilities, MAF must ensure that its approach to regulatory intervention is based on sound principles, is aligned to Government and international policy, and has a consistent approach across the organisation and with other government regulatory agencies. Regulation plays a critical role in shaping the behaviour of people and is often used in the business environment as a tool to encourage change in business activity. For example, on the international scene, there is a trend toward focussing on the producer as the means of ensuring safe animal and plant products. MAF's aim is to minimise regulatory intervention compliance costs when a change in behaviour is required. These challenges mean an increasing need for effective regulatory philosophy with supporting frameworks.
What is MAF aiming to achieve by focusing on this priority?
The Regulatory Philosophy and Frameworks strategic priority objectives are:
- The development of a cohesive intervention framework for MAF enabling a more robust approach to regulatory intervention and a consistent approach to the use of regulatory interventions.
- To improve the quality of regulatory intervention, along with the need to minimise the regulatory burden and compliance costs, and importantly, to give industry as much certainty and flexibility as possible to meet their obligations.
- To develop principles for improving the quality of regulatory intervention.
A specific part of these objectives is the process for considering other ways of achieving the same result, including industry self regulation, industry partnerships, and the use of awareness programmes.
What are some of the critical issues MAF is addressing?
MAF is involved in the following critical issues facing the sector:
- Identification of where and how regulation is an appropriate form of intervention and where other types of non regulatory intervention would be a better approach.
- Ability to explain costs and benefits of regulation, including guidance in cost recovery.
- Rationale for achieving the lowest possible compliance costs.
- Facilitation of innovation − or at the least not impeding innovation and enabling other ways of achieving the same result.
- Consistency with whole-of-government approaches to regulation, including risk management.
- Compliance with international obligations.
- Intervention drivers which take into account the public good or industry good/facilitation results.
- Maintaining New Zealand's comparative advantage internationally.
Regulatory activity makes up a major part of MAF's role. The Ministry is carrying out functions related to approvals or accreditations, standard setting, compliance, and enforcement, and is accountable for official assurances that animal and plant products meet the standards required by domestic law or importing countries. MAF broadly classifies its regulatory interventions into two categories: technical - mostly relating to the scientific and technical aspects of biosecurity, animal welfare and food safety; and sectoral − relating to the broader economic and governance aspects of regulation impacting on sustainable growth and industry innovation in the sectors. A cohesive regulatory framework is currently in the process of being developed for MAF which will enable greater consistency in the approach to the use of regulatory interventions.
Contact for Enquiries
Strategy and Performance Group
Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry
Pastoral House
25 The Terrace
PO Box 2526, Wellington
Tel: +64 4 894 0100
Fax: +64 4 894 0738
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