Regulatory Standards Bill: What Is A "Person"

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Apart from the timing and the large set of questions (which you don't have to answer, just send in the submission for you want), the most insidious part of the Bill is the use of the word "persons".

I take this from the extremely helpful and detailed, Proposed Regulatory Standards Bill : Explainer & Submission Guide, written by Jen Bennett and Melanie Nelson with contributions from several others.

What does “individual” or “person” mean in this Bill?

Most government action should think about all of us - not just some of us.

The Regulatory Standards Bill (RSB) focuses on individual interests. In the Bill the term "individual" or “person” includes not only everyday citizens but also corporations, large businesses, and other legal entities - but does not include the public, specific communities or all of us as a whole. This means that powerful companies are granted the same rights and protections as people. In effect, they would have more power than people as they have the resources to enforce their rights.

Under this framework, corporations can claim that regulations—such as those designed to protect public health, society generally, groups of people,  the environment, or shared resources—unfairly infringe upon their "rights."
Yup, it does mean YOU, but it also means corporations. Their rights are held uppermost as well, and ultimately they are the more powerful having the resources to take anyone, including the government, to court because their "rights", ie to make a profit, have been limited by a regulation AND/OR a law.

Wanna drill for oil, not there says the government on behalf of the country, off to court they go for compensation of the potential profits they would've made. If they win, your taxes pay them.

Gonna build a massive factory and spew out crap into the surrounding area, no way says the local council. Off to court goes the company and your rates pay for the compensation.

Oh, but we can combine, do a hīkoi, we can come together and also take them to court for the "rights", of healthy living, can't we? As an individual, yes, you can try and take on the corporation if you want. But a group of you are not a "person", so no, you can't 
Mechanisms like the Regulatory Services Board create pathways for businesses or other individuals to challenge laws they claim are inconsistent with the Bill’s principles. This could allow companies or individuals to undermine essential protections by arguing that regulations impose "unnecessary costs" or "limit freedoms." 
If you believe in "freedom", and "individual rights", as do I to a certain degree, do not be hoodwinked by this Bill, it is not for you despite what you may think.

Taken me a few days to have this actually sink in even though I felt it was what was happening.

Here's two more examples:
Imagen 3 AI image: Create symbolic image of a faceless corporation fighting a kiwi bird set in an nz court room

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