Author Description

"When to regulate and how to regulate are simple questions with complex answers. What behaviour needs to change or problems might be solved through regulation? Any decision to regulate ideally ought to balance competing interests and goals, in part because the complexities of regulation affect everyone in society. Regulatory decisions can, for example, impact on the availability, cost, quality and safety of goods and services; such as telecommunications, pharmaceuticals and consumer credit. The consequences of bad regulation, or a failure to regulate effectively, can be extreme. One need only look at the ongoing leaky buildings problem in New Zealand and the global financial crisis. Effective regulation and how to achieve it is a topic of global interest. This book draws on New Zealand and worldwide experience to analyse issues of regulation in the New Zealand setting, which includes our important international and trading relationships. New Zealand aspires to first world standards in regulation; consumers expect high safety standards, businesses want to operate in a predictable and efficient marketplace, but such goals can be challenging in a country the size of New Zealand. Our size raises questions of scale, affordability and appropriate use of resources. In order to improve the regulatory framework in New Zealand this book analyses diverse areas of regulation from a variety of perspectives. In so doing, this collection of essays explores issues in order to learn from the past so that we can adapt for the future." -- publisher's description.