The government has announced the Ministry of Regulation’s next sector review will focus on New Zealand’s hospitality industry.
Minister of Regulation, Hon David Seymour; and Minister of Tourism and Hospitality, Hon Louise Upston, announced the review – which focuses on regulations that apply to restaurants, bars, cafes, food stalls at markets, food trucks, catering businesses and hotels – this morning.
New Zealand’s hospitality sector is a $15.7 billion industry that employs more than 145,000 people.
The sector has told Government that it is hurting. They say that outdated, overlapping and confusing rules are holding back growth, on the back of substantial challenges over the past five years, starting with Covid.
Seymour said the hospitality industry and has found it difficult to bounce back since 2020.
“Inconsistent requirements cost owners valuable time and money,” he said. “For example, some business owners might be required to get resource consents on top of alcohol licenses, so that customers can enjoy a cold beer in sun. In other areas of the country just an alcohol license is required.”
The Ministry for Regulation’s Hospitality Review will find the problems with hospitality regulation, and make recommendations to cut red tape, keep costs down, manage risks, and make compliance easier.
They will assess whether the rules are:
- necessary and worth the cost;
- effective, efficient, and proportionate to the risks;
- adaptable and can evolve over time;
- easy to comply with, and;
- aligned with good regulatory practice.
Upston said she was looking forward to “working to get hospitality back on the table”.
Hospitality NZ Interim Chief Executive, Nick Keene, says: “We’re pleased to see recognition of the significant regulatory and compliance pressures on the hospitality sector, and the complicated nature of the legislation that governs how we operate.
“We know that across our respective memberships, the rules and regulations operators face place a strain on investment and employment decisions, and the ability to grow the sector as a whole.”
The Ministry for Regulation is set to submit its final report to Ministers for consideration by April 2026.
To learn more or to submit a complaint about regulations to the ministry, click here.
How to catch up with The Shout NZ…
Online, updated daily with its own unique content and breaking news.
Our weekly newsletter – free to your inbox! Subscribe here.
We are also on Facebook and Instagram!
