Minister for Regulatory Reform Rodney Hide today announced the membership of the Regulatory Responsibility Taskforce, which will provide independent expert advice on the Regulatory Responsibility Bill that was considered by the Parliament's Commerce Select Committee in 2008. 

The establishment of the Taskforce was included in the ACT-National confidence and supply agreement and forms part of a government-wide review to identify and remove red tape, unnecessary bureaucracy, and outdated rules and regulations.

The chair is Dr Graham Scott, former Secretary of the Treasury. The other members are: 

Paul Baines, Company Director

Richard Clarke QC

Jack Hodder, Chairman of the Board, Chapman Tripp

Hon David Caygill, Chair of the Electricity Commission

Dr Bryce Wilkinson, Director of Capital Economics

Dr Don Turkington, Company Director

Mr Hide says the Taskforce members are a high quality team who have a great opportunity to make law-making in New Zealand more transparent and accountable. "We need better law making and the Regulatory Responsibility Bill is designed to deliver it."

Mr Hide says the Bill is a significant and pioneering piece of legislation, and a world-first. "It will provide a proper framework to law making that will ensure transparency and accountability, so that citizens will know how a proposed law will affect them."

The Taskforce will report back with recommendations by the end of September.