Selwyn_Times: July 05, 2023

34 Selwyn Times Wednesday July 5 2023
SELWYN RURAL LIFE
Advertising Feature
Forecast: Bureaucratic
clouds to clear
• By Isabelle Teresa
Yes, there’s been another change in
government requirements, but this
time the change is for the policymakers
themselves. The Plain Language Act
went live in April 2023, “to improve the
accessibility of certain documents that…
public service agencies and Crown
agents make available to the public, by
providing for those documents to use
language that is—
a) appropriate to the intended
audience; and
b) clear, concise, and well organised.”
Now it could be said that farmers
know a thing or two about plain
language. Especially when it comes to
battling through laws and regulations
… bureaucracy can certainly be a fourletter
word. But now, we are all entitled
to expect that new documents, policies
and websites created by government
departments and agencies, giving
essential information to the public, are
written clearly. And that existing key
materials are substantially revised as they
come up for renewal.
The Bill was put forward by Nelson’s
Labour MP Rachel Boyack. Incredibly
for NZ legislation, it is only seven pages
long, and of course easy to read. It
was one of the Members’ bills
selected through the truly
bizarre practice
of the
Parliamentary biscuit tin – where bills
from MPs who are not ministers are
drawn in a lucky dip literally out of a
1990s Deka biscuit tin!
While endorsed by the Māori
and Green parties,
National
strongly opposed it, stating that they
support plain language but did not
believe it should be a legal requirement.
Plain English movements originated
in the 1970s, especially in the UK,
US and Canada, positioning clear
communication as a basic democratic
right. While appreciated by all readers,
it is also very helpful for minority,
migrant and marginalised
communities.
Ministries had six
months to prepare and
are now meant to have in
place plain language officers,
staff training, style guides and
accessibility guidelines and a
mechanism for public feedback.
While agencies are required
to report annually to Parliament,
one criticism is that there’s no
enforcement – no-one’s going to
get fired! However, it’s a crucial step
forward that we now all have the right
to complain, name and shame. And to
throw in some plain language of our own
while doing so.
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