Red tape fires Prebble's views

By FRANCESCA MOLD

The Act party is so fired up about the election it lit a bonfire of Government papers in front of Parliament yesterday.

The stunt, which involved Act leader Richard Prebble setting Government legislation on fire and dumping it in a metal rubbish bin, was to draw attention to the release of Act's compliance cost policy.

There were a few nerves before the bonfire, as strong Wellington winds threatened to send any wayward sparks towards the Beehive.

However, the organisers had a fire extinguisher at the ready in case their plans went wrong.

Mr Prebble had a wheelbarrow and wheelie bin full of legislation and regulations that his party believed were unnecessary.

He picked out particular laws, such as the Employment Relations Act, the Superannuation Fund and Paid Parental Leave, throwing them into a burning rubbish bin to cries of "burn it, burn it" from supporters.

Mr Prebble said small businesses faced a sea of paperwork, having to comply with 57 different Acts of Parliament on average.

He gave an example of a childcare centre that needed to comply with 39 pieces of legislation before it could set up. And if it wanted to have a rabbit as a pet, it had to meet conditions set out in a 38-page document.

Mr Prebble said Act would introduce a Regulatory Responsibility Act, requiring the Government to repeal unnecessary, business unfriendly laws.

"Let's rewrite ACC, the RMA, the ERA and OSH - all these initials that just spell COST," he said.

"Vote Act for a bonfire of regulations."

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