Opinion: Cutting Red Tape Key to Economic Growth
*Published in Weekend Express, October 11, 2025
Kylie Cornelius | Executive Officer | Marlborough Chamber of Commerce
Recently, the Marlborough Chamber of Commerce was pleased to host the Honourable David Seymour as part of our ongoing ‘Meet the Minister’ series. In his roles as Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for Regulation, and Associate Minister for Education, Finance, and Health, Minister Seymour offered direct insights into the Government’s regulatory agenda, something our business community is keenly invested in.
A key theme of the Minister’s address was his commitment to cutting red tape “knocking off one irritating piece at a time”. It’s a message that resonated strongly with local businesses in the room. Regulation, as Minister Seymour explained, is harming our economy in three significant ways: through cost and delay, by preventing worthwhile projects from going ahead, and perhaps most insidiously, by undermining our culture. As he put it, “It does no one any good to see people get beaten down by regulation.”
Minister Seymour shared that the path to meaningful change starts with a clear diagnosis of the problem and a deliberate move away from regulatory overkill. He referenced well-intentioned regulatory protections introduced in the wake of the Canterbury earthquakes as cautionary examples of unintended consequences.
Importantly, he emphasised the need to avoid “institutional introversion”. That’s why his visit to Marlborough mattered. It was an opportunity to hear directly from our business leaders, including Marcus Pickens, General Manager of Wine Marlborough, who relayed strong concerns from his members about the cost to business of consenting and monitoring under the Resource Management Act (RMA).
In response, the Minister acknowledged that RMA reform is overdue. The current law is, as he noted, a “creature of its time,” shaped by principles and practices that no longer reflect today’s thinking. He assured attendees that reform legislation will be passed before the next election, setting the stage for more efficient and business-friendly processes.
It will obviously take time to roll through to councils, but a letter to council chief executives from Ministers Bishop, McClay and Simmonds earlier this month, gave a clear directive they expect councils to seek opportunities to streamline consenting processes, reduce onerous requirements wherever possible, and ease the consenting burden while they get the system changes in place. “Our country relies on our rural producers. At a time of economic challenges, councils should be doing all they can to unlock economic growth, not stymie it” they said.
At a time of economic headwinds, it's heartening to hear a clear commitment to smarter regulation. Our region’s prosperity depends on it.