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Consistency Accountability Statements
The Ministry of Social Development (MSD) publishes Consistency Accountability Statements (CASs) and related documents in accordance with the Regulatory Standards Act 2025.
When legislation is developed, amended, or reviewed, the responsible government agency must assess it against the principles of responsible regulation set out in the Regulatory Standards Act 2025. This requirement is supported by Cabinet Circular CO (26) 2: Expectations for Good Law-making [PDF 314KB]
To support this assessment, the following documents must be produced:
- Consistency Accountability Statements (CASs)
- Summaries of Underpinning Analysis
- Minister or decision-maker Statements of Reasons (where applicable)
About these documents
Consistency Accountability Statements (CASs)
A CAS confirms that the responsible agency has assessed the legislation against the principles of responsible regulation in section 9 of the Regulatory Standards Act 2025 and identified any inconsistencies with those principles.
CASs may be prepared for:
- proposed legislation before enactment
- existing legislation reviewed under the Act
Summary of Underpinning Analysis
The Summary of Underpinning Analysis provides a high-level summary of the analysis and reasoning that supports the assessment contained in the CAS.
Statement of Reasons
If a CAS concludes that legislation is inconsistent with one or more principles of responsible regulation, the relevant Minister or authorised decision-maker must issue a Statement of Reasons explaining why the inconsistency is justified.