Legislation to streamline the way official inquiries are conducted is to be changed to include lessons learned from the Royal Commissions examining the Pike River disaster and the Canterbury earthquakes.
The bill was put on hold in 2010 while the inquiries were underway and is now being rushed through Parliament to ensure the Government has full powers to investigate the Fonterra botulism scare.
The changes include providing more flexibility in the amount of time it takes to confirm facts offered by witnesses, and also ensuring inquiries get expert opinion.
Internal Affairs Minister Chris Tremain said the changes will lead to clearer and more workable law.
The Government hopes the bill will be passed in the next couple of weeks.
