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Innovation Trials
Technology changes faster than the rulebook. Agricultural drones, driverless cars and new medical treatments are already being used overseas. In New Zealand, old rules can keep them out for years.
An Innovation Trial would let the Government set aside a particular rule for a limited test in one place. The approval would state the safety conditions and how the result will be measured. Bad results end the trial. Good results give the Government evidence to change the rule.
Government sometimes makes these exceptions after a company finds the right officials and persuades them to act. ACT would publish one application process that any company could use.
ACT will:
Publish a permanent application process for Innovation Trials.
Allow a specific regulation to be set aside for a limited test in one location.
Set safety conditions and a way to measure the result before a trial begins.
Use the Ministry for Regulation to help agencies identify existing exemption powers and run trials consistently.
Invite companies working on autonomous vehicles, agricultural drones and medical technology to run trials in New Zealand.
In our team's words:
ACT Leader David Seymour says:
“Technology is what ultimately drives wages. People in the United States, Japan, Britain and Europe are using inventions that remain illegal here. Every year we wait leaves New Zealand workers further behind.
“Take agricultural spray drones. Once a drone weighs more than 25 kilograms, certification can cost up to $2,000 and take over a year. Australian farmers can use drones weighing up to 150 kilograms under a simple licence. Our officials have put the issue on a two-year work programme.
“An Innovation Trial lets the Government set aside the relevant rule for a limited test. The trial has conditions and an end date. We collect the evidence, see what actually happens and decide whether the old rule still makes sense.
“ACT will make that process available to any company through a permanent public application. New Zealand can then go to the people developing driverless cars, medical treatments and new farm technology and say: bring it here and prove it works.”