First statutes revision for 105 years planned

The Parliamentary Counsel Office (PCO) says it will propose the first of a new three-yearly programme of statute law revision to the Attorney-General and relevant government agencies "in time for the next Parliament".

In its Statement of Intent for the period 1 July 2013 to 30 June 2018, the PCO says the Legislation Act 2012 - some of which is still to come into effect - requires the PCO to improve access to old, archaically expressed, and much amended laws through the establishment of a three-yearly programme of statute revision.

The last - and only - comprehensive revision of New Zealand's statute book took place in 1908.

The PCO says the draft revision programme will set out the proposed revision projects and those Bills expected to be enacted during that three-year period.

"The amount of revision undertaken will depend on the availability of funding to the PCO and administering departments," it says.

In other information provided in the Statement of Intent, the PCO says it intends to phase out the Statutory Regulations series and replace it by a Legislative Instruments series.

"This change will reflect terminological changes introduced by the [Legislation Act 2012], expecially the introduction of the terms 'disallowable instrument' and 'legislative instrument' in place of the current term 'regulations'," it says.

The PCO also says it is planning to make the New Zealand Legislation website an official source of legislation by 1 July 2014.

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Valedictory Speech: Gilmore MP

If you're looking for an interesting and potentially amusing distraction this afternoon, One News will be live streaming Aaron Gilmore's valedictory speech from Parliament.

Have your say in the Constitution Conversation

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The Constitution Conversation Submission Process

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From the hallowed pen of Queens Council, The Times