Plain Language Act 2022

Last updated

Plain Language Act 2022
Coat of arms of New Zealand.svg
New Zealand Parliament
  • An Act to improve the effectiveness and accountability of public service agencies and Crown agents, and to improve the accessibility of certain documents that they make available to the public, by providing for those documents to use language that is—

    (a) appropriate to the intended audience;

    (b) clear, concise, and well organised. [1]
Royal assent 21 October 2022 [2]
Legislative history
Introduced by Rachel Boyack [2]
First reading 16 February 2022 [2]
Second reading 1 September 2022 [2]
Third reading 19 October 2022 [2]
Status: Current legislation

The Plain Language Act 2022 (2022 No 54) is an Act of Parliament in New Zealand. [2] [3] The Act specifies the requirement of government officials to use plain, easily understood language when communicating with the public. [4] It received royal assent on 21 October 2022. [2]

Contents

Provisions

The Plain Language Act 2022 defines "plain language" as language that is appropriate to the intended audience and is "clear, concise, and well organised." [1] It also sets out the criteria for government documents and public information that should use "plain language." [1]

Legislative history

The Bill was first introduced to Parliament on 20 October 2021 by its sponsor Labour Member of Parliament (MP) Rachel Boyack. While Boyack, fellow Labour MPs Glen Bennett, Steph Lewis, Ingrid Leary, Ginny Andersen, and Willow-Jean Prime and Green Party Jan Logie argued that it would improve government communications with the public, the opposition National MPs Chris Bishop, Simeon Brown, and ACT MP James McDowall argued that the legislation was unnecessary and would be a waster of public expenditure. [5] [6] The bill passed its first reading on 15 February 2022 by a margin of 75 to 43 votes along partisan lines. While the Labour and Green parties supported the bill, it was opposed by National and ACT. [6]

The Bill passed its second reading on 31 August 2022 by a margin of 77 to 43 votes. While the Labour, Greens and Te Pāti Māori supported the Bill, it was opposed by National and ACT. [7]

The Bill's in-committee's debate was held on 21 September 2022. During the debate, National MP Judith Collins described the Bill as the "Lackadaisical Language Bill" and questioned whether Boyack had undertaken a study to ensure that the Māori language (Te Reo) had more "plain language" words. Fellow National MP Brown described the Bill as "a solution looking for a problem." Labour MP Naisi Chen defended the Bill, arguing that it would benefit people for whom English was a second language. Boyack defended the use of Te Reo in official documents and explained how the Bill would guide the Public Service's communications. National MPs Michael Woodhouse, Simon Watts and Gerry Brownlee also made speeches criticising the Bill while Labour MPs Jamie Strange and Sarah Pallett gave speeches defending the Bill. A motion to progress the Bill to its third reading passed by a margin of 77 (Labour, Greens, Te Pāti Māori and independent MP Gaurav Sharma) to 43 votes (National and ACT). [8]

The Bill passed its third reading on 19 October 2022 by a margin of 76 to 32. [9] It received royal assent on 21 October. [2]

Related Research Articles

Te Pāti Māori, also known as the Māori Party, is a political party in New Zealand advocating Māori rights. With the exception of a handful of general electorates, Te Pāti Māori contests the reserved Māori electorates, in which its main rival is the Labour Party.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Māori politics</span> Politics of the Māori people

Māori politics is the politics of the Māori people, who were the original inhabitants of New Zealand and who are now the country's largest minority. Before the arrival of Pākehā (Europeans) in New Zealand, Māori society was based largely around tribal units, and chiefs provided political leadership. With the British settlers of the 19th century came a new British-style government. From the outset, Māori sought representation within this government, seeing it as a vital way to promote their people's rights and improve living standards. Modern Māori politics can be seen as a subset of New Zealand politics in general, but has a number of distinguishing features, including advocacy for indigenous rights and Māori sovereignty. Many Māori politicians are members of major, historically European-dominated political parties, while others have formed separate Māori parties. For example, Te Pāti Māori, holding six of seven Māori electorates, is one such party.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Waka-jumping</span>

In New Zealand politics, waka-jumping is a colloquial term for when a member of Parliament (MP) either switches political party between elections or when a list MP's party membership ceases.

The New Zealand Oath of Allegiance is defined by the Oaths and Declarations Act 1957. The Oath is required under New Zealand law to be made in certain circumstances, including as a requirement for individuals to hold certain offices, as well in judicial proceedings.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Louisa Wall</span> New Zealand Member of Parliament

Louisa Hareruia Wall is a New Zealand former double international sportswoman, former politician, and human rights advocate. She represented New Zealand in both netball as a Silver Fern from 1989 to 1992 and in rugby union as a member of the Black Ferns from 1995 to 2001, including as a member of the 1991 World Netball Championships runner-up team and 1998 Women's Rugby World Cup winning team.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Meka Whaitiri</span> New Zealand politician

Melissa Heni Mekameka Whaitiri is a New Zealand politician and former member of the New Zealand House of Representatives. She was first elected to Parliament in the 2013 Ikaroa-Rāwhiti by-election for the Labour Party.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peeni Henare</span> New Zealand politician

Peeni Ereatara Gladwyn Henare is a New Zealand Labour Party politician who has been a member of the New Zealand parliament since the 2014 general election. Henare held the Tāmaki Makaurau Māori electorate since 2014 before being defeated by Te Pāti Māori's Takutai Tarsh Kemp in the 2023 general election.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rachel Boyack</span> New Zealand politician

Rachel Elizabeth Boyack-Mayer is a New Zealand unionist and politician. Since 2020, she has been a Member of Parliament for the Labour Party.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Teanau Tuiono</span> New Zealand politician

Teanau Tuiono is a New Zealand politician. In 2020 he became a Member of Parliament in the House of Representatives as a representative of the Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Simeon Brown</span> New Zealand politician

Simeon Peter Brown is a New Zealand politician and Member of Parliament in the House of Representatives for the National Party.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anahila Kanongata'a</span> New Zealand politician

Anahila Lose Kanongata'a is a New Zealand social worker and politician. She served as a Member of Parliament for the Labour Party from 2017 to 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">53rd New Zealand Parliament</span> New Zealand parliamentary term from 2020 to 2023

The 53rd New Zealand Parliament was a meeting of the legislature in New Zealand. It opened on 25 November 2020 following the 17 October 2020 general election, and dissolved on 8 September 2023 to trigger the next election. It consisted of 120 members of Parliament (MPs) with five parties represented: the Labour and Green parties, in government, and the National, Māori and ACT parties, in opposition. The Sixth Labour Government held a majority in this Parliament. Jacinda Ardern continued as prime minister until her resignation on 25 January 2023; she was succeeded by Chris Hipkins.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Debbie Ngarewa-Packer</span> New Zealand politician and Māori leader

Debbie Anne Ngarewa-Packer is a New Zealand politician, iwi leader and activist. She is a Member of Parliament and co-leader of Te Pāti Māori alongside Rawiri Waititi, and is the chief executive of the Ngāti Ruanui iwi.

Rawiri Wikuki Waititi is a New Zealand politician and co-leader of Te Pāti Māori alongside Debbie Ngarewa-Packer. He has served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Waiariki since 2020, when his election returned Te Pāti Māori to the New Zealand Parliament following their defeat at the 2017 general election.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">COVID-19 Response (Vaccinations) Legislation Act 2021</span> Act of Parliament in New Zealand

The COVID-19 Response (Vaccinations) Legislation Act 2021 is an Act of Parliament to provide a legal framework for the New Zealand Government's COVID-19 Protection Framework and vaccination mandates. The bill was introduced under urgency and passed in law on 23 November 2021. While the bill was supported by the Labour Government and their Green coalition partners, it was opposed by the opposition National, ACT, and Māori parties, which criticised the rushed and divisive nature of the legislation and claimed that vulnerable communities would be adversely affected.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">54th New Zealand Parliament</span> Current New Zealand parliamentary term

The 54th New Zealand Parliament is the current meeting of the legislature in New Zealand. It opened on 5 December 2023 following the 14 October 2023 general election, and will expire on or before 16 November 2026 to trigger the next election.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Electoral (Māori Electoral Option) Legislation Act 2022</span> Act of Parliament in New Zealand

The Electoral Legislation Act 2022 is an Act of Parliament passed by the New Zealand Parliament that allows Māori voters to switch between the general and Māori electoral rolls at anytime except during certain pre-election periods: "the three months before polling day for general and local body elections; and, for some Māori voters in an electorate where a parliamentary by-election occurs, in the period leading up to the by-election." The Bill passed its third reading on 16 November 2022 and came into effect on 31 March 2023 prior to the 2023 New Zealand general election.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke</span> New Zealand politician (born 2002)

Hana-Rawhiti Kareariki Maipi-Clarke is a New Zealand politician, representing Te Pāti Māori as a Member of Parliament since the 2023 New Zealand general election. She is the youngest MP since James Stuart-Wortley, who was elected in the 1853 election when he was aged 20 years and 7 months.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spatial Planning Act 2023</span> Repealed Act of Parliament in New Zealand

The Spatial Planning Act 2023 (SPA), now repealed, was one of three laws introduced by the Sixth Labour Government in order to replace New Zealand's Resource Management Act 1991 (RMA). Its purpose was to provide for regional spatial strategies that assisted the purpose of the Natural and Built Environment Act 2023 (NBA) and promote integration in the performance of functions under the NBA, the Land Transport Management Act 2003, the Local Government Act 2002, and the Water Services Entities Act 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fair Pay Agreements Act 2022</span> Repealed act of parliament in New Zealand

The Fair Pay Agreements Act 2022, now repealed, was an act of parliament in New Zealand. The act facilitated a framework for collective bargaining for fair pay agreements at an industry-wide level. On 25 October 2023, the Bill passed its third reading in Parliament. While the bill was supported by the Labour, Green and Māori parties, it was opposed by the opposition National and ACT parties, which vowed to repeal it if elected during the 2023 New Zealand general election. On 14 December 2023, the National-led coalition government repealed the Fair Pay Agreements Act as part of its first raft of legislative changes.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Plain Language Act 2022 No 54 (Government Bill). New Zealand Parliament. 21 October 2022. Creative Commons by small.svg  This article incorporates text available under the CC BY 4.0 license.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Plain Language Bill". New Zealand Parliament. Archived from the original on 9 March 2023. Retrieved 8 March 2023.
  3. ↑ Plain Language Act 2022
  4. ↑ "New Zealand passes plain language bill to jettison jargon". The Guardian . 20 October 2022. Archived from the original on 9 March 2023. Retrieved 8 March 2023.
  5. ↑ "Plain Language Bill — First Reading". New Zealand Parliament. 20 October 2021. Archived from the original on 30 April 2022. Retrieved 11 January 2024.
  6. 1 2 "Plain Language Bill — First Reading". New Zealand Parliament . 15 February 2022. Archived from the original on 11 January 2024. Retrieved 11 January 2024.
  7. ↑ "Plain Language Bill — Second Reading". New Zealand Parliament. 31 August 2022. Archived from the original on 27 October 2022. Retrieved 11 January 2024.
  8. ↑ "Plain Language Bill — In Committee—Part 1". New Zealand Parliament. 21 September 2022. Archived from the original on 11 January 2024. Retrieved 11 January 2024.
  9. ↑ "Plain Language Bill — Third Reading". New Zealand Parliament. 19 October 2022. Archived from the original on 23 October 2022. Retrieved 11 January 2024.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.