Analysis by Dr Bryce Edwards.
Political Roundup: The Beehive’s revolving door and corporate mateship
New Zealanders are uncomfortable with the high level of influence corporate lobbyists have in New Zealand politics, and demands are growing for greater regulation.
A recent poll shows 62 per cent of the public support having a two-year cooling off period between ministers leaving public office and becoming lobbyists and 14 per cent oppose such a law. This is exactly what Kris Faafoi did recently, but because New Zealand lacks a cooling off period he was able to move straight from being a government minister and go to work lobbying his former colleagues while they are still in government.
The survey carried out by Curia Research for the Taxpayers Union, shows National and Green voters are particularly keen on a cooling off period, with about 71 per cent in support. Wellingtonians are the biggest supporters of this – with 73 per cent in favour of the two-year stand down period.
The influence of the revolving door is illustrated again today with RNZ releasing the third part of Guyon Espiner’s series on lobbying, focusing on how former MPs and senior Beehive officials have extraordinary access and influence with those currently in power.
The latest episode focuses on former Labour staff and MPs like Neale Jones and Clayton Cosgrove and the easy access they have to ministers while lobbying on behalf of tech giants, big pharma, and multinational energy and entertainment companies – see: How lobbyists throw their weight around for corporate clients.
The Extraordinary lobbying access to power
Prime Minister Chris Hipkins has been going out to the media in recent days to answer questions about why lobbyists have such close access to his administration and why he doesn’t believe the lobbying industry needs cleaning up. His argument has essentially been that there is a level playing field with access to politicians in New Zealand, and every New Zealander has access to him and his ministers.
Jacinda Ardern also made this argument when PM, and today Espiner cites her saying that she wasn’t just meeting with corporate lobbyists but also with NGOs and foodbanks. She previously stated: “You have as much access as someone for instance who chooses to engage with a company for government relations advice.”
Of course the text messages, emails, and encrypted messages from lobbyists uncovered by Espiner illustrate just how untrue these claims are. Lobbyists have an ease and speed of communication with officials and ministers on a day to day basis that the public cannot hope to compete with.
Consider, for example, a text from a SkyCity Casino lobbyist to a ministerial advisor says: “Mate I’d be keen for a quick yarn sometime soon about racing/gambling if you’re up for it”.
Lobbyists ply officials with invitations to drinks, dinner and sports events which can help create a very cohesive and close relationship, ensuring there is a better chance of lobbyist correspondence being answered quickly, and meetings promptly arranged with ministers so that corporates can get their arguments across to decision-makers.
Lobbying by big tech and big pharma
Much of the focus of Espiner’s latest lobbying story is on Neale Jones. He was the Chief of Staff in the Beehive for Jacinda Ardern before moving into a more lucrative career in lobbying, where he works for one of the biggest pharmaceutical companies in the world, Merck Sharp & Dohme. His known clients include Google, Countdown supermarkets, Natural Health Practitioners NZ, and a bank.
Jones runs the corporate lobbying firm, Capital Government Relations, which he co-owns with another high-profile political commentator Ben Thomas, who has worked in the Beehive as a spin doctor for the National Party. Other lobbyists in the firm include former Ardern staffers Mike Munro – who also worked as her Chief of Staff – and Mike Jaspers and Clint Smith.
Smith, according to Espiner, took “just 33 minutes to get a Finland-based diesel producer a meeting with top officials at short notice.” Similarly, other Labour and Green-friendly lobbyists, such as David Cormack, have been revealed to have worked for big oil companies.
Another example given today by Espiner is that of Clayton Cosgrove, who was formerly a Labour MP, and left Parliament in 2017 to set up his firm Cosgrove & Partners which advertises that he “talks directly to the decision-makers” and promises “discreet advice”.
Espiner reveals today that Cosgrove lobbies his former colleagues on behalf of Meta, the tech company that owns Facebook. In one example, Cosgrove sets up meetings between Andrew Little and a senior Facebook official, Simon Milner, visiting New Zealand. To do so, Cosgrove simply texts Andrew Little to say that Milner “would love to meet with you” about issues around “algorithms, encryption, disinformation and cyber security”, and Little replied: “Thanks Clayton… Yes, I would be very keen”.
Lobbyists with instant door access to the Beehive
Some lobbyists and political insiders are given free access to Parliament. These “swiperati” have access cards so that they can visit politicians without having to deal with security.
The people who currently have access are available to view on the Parliament website: Approved Visitor List to Parliament. These access cards may not be a central part of the problem, and clamping down on how they are handed out won’t change much, but when vested interests get through the Beehive doors in ways that the public can’t it is highly symbolic of the overall lobbying problem.
The big question is still about whether New Zealand should introduce a cooling off period to help close the revolving door, or at least make it swing a lot more slowly. Today, Espiner points out that more than 75 per cent of OECD countries have such rules. New Zealand is now an outlier in this key part of democracy. The “mateship” between politicians, officials, and lobbyists, proves New Zealand needs to clean up its act.
Further reading on Lobbying
Guyon Espiner (RNZ): How well-connected lobbyists ask for – and receive – urgent meetings, sensitive information and action on law changes for their corporate clients
Sharon Brettkelly (RNZ): The Detail: Lobbying and the backdoor of our democracy
RNZ: Technology, pharma industries, energy companies using lobbying firms (audio)
Max Rashbrooke (RNZ): A three-point plan to clean up lobbying and vested interests
RNZ: Academics’ three-point plan to clean up political lobbying practices (audio)
Other items of interest and importance today
PARLIAMENT, ELECTION
Toby Manhire (Stuff): Shows of local strength deliver upsets in key Labour selection contests
Mark Quinlivan (Newshub): Political pundit Bryce Edwards floats possibility of National Party leadership change
Brent Edwards (NBR): National to double down on tax and Govt spending in election run (paywalled)
Thomas Coughlan (Herald): National reshuffles backroom operation after senior staffer’s sudden resignation
Claire Breen (The Conversation): Throwing voting-age legislation onto the ‘policy bonfire’ only delays a debate that has to happen
Giles Dexter (RNZ): Government insists abuse survivor redress a ‘top priority’ after officials suggested delay
Grant Bradley (Herald): Rob Fyfe: The Government policy that shouldn’t have been thrown on the bonfire (paywalled)
Brigitte Morten (NBR): Is it too late to say sorry now? (paywalled)
Nikki Mandow (Newsroom): TOP and the not terribly Teal Deal
CO-GOVERNANCE
Glenn McConnell (Stuff): Chris Hipkins’ co-governance test: Labour could lose Māori support if it backtracks on Three Waters
Jody O’Callaghan (Stuff): Complaints made to Human Rights Commission and attorney-general over anti co-governance talks
Waatea News: Bones of co-governance attack untrue
CLIMATE CHANGE
Marc Daalder (Newsroom): Govt should explain why it rejected our advice – Climate Commission
RNZ: Cutting methane a quick win for the climate – experts
Brent Edwards (NBR): The push to make this year’s election about climate change (paywalled)
Newshub: Climate change report shows why more Green seats are needed in Parliament, Marama Davidson says
Anna Whyte (Stuff): Who is the man leading the environment ministry amid an escalating climate crisis?
George Thomson (Newsroom): Healing te taiao: Moving on from peak pine
Ripu Bhatia (Stuff): Indigenous knowledge can play important role in climate change, IPCC report says
No Right Turn: Climate Change: More Labour foot-dragging
ENVIRONMENT, RMA
Thomas Coughlan (Herald): Resource Management Act war heads towards final battle (paywalled)
Richard Harman (Politik): The next Maori challenge (paywalled)
Robin Martin (RNZ): Authorities accused over cancers around agrichemicals plant at Paritūtū
Andrea Vance (Stuff): Black, ‘stinking’ wastewater dumped near Waikato wetland – and it’s totally legal
HEALTH
RNZ: Te Whatu Ora reveals it has about 200 comms people, following criticism from National
William Hewett (Newshub): General Practice NZ ‘concerned’ after Government quietly changed opioid drug access legislation
Nikki Macdonald (Stuff): ‘Dangerous and inappropriate’ opioid drug access change could fuel addiction and black market supply, doctors warn
Kristie Boland (Stuff): Surgery for broken leg cancelled at last minute five times in eight days
Waatea News: Dental spend not best return says Reti
1News: Helen Clark: Another global pandemic possible if nations don’t prepare
Felix Desmarais (1News): Govt launches campaign to support young people in break-ups
Charlotte Graham-McLay (Guardian): ‘Own the feels’: New Zealand government tries to help teens recover from breakups
CYCLONE GABRIELLE
Felix Desmarais (1News): Cyclone recovery: Robertson on issues causing ‘confusion, stress’
Stuff: Cyclone Recovery Minister Grant Robertson says ‘high-risk’ areas to be designated in coming month
Adam Pearse (Herald): Cyclone-impacted people can expect some answers on rebuild, managed retreat from April – Govt
RNZ: Cyclone Gabrielle: Robertson warns of delays to rebuild decisions
Susan Botting (Local Democracy Reporting): Northland facing $70m-plus Cyclone Gabrielle bill – and counting
Marty Sharpe (Stuff): What happens with Hawke’s Bay’s contaminated silt? Don’t ask the council
Sharon Brettkelly (RNZ): The Detail: Cyclone Gabrielle: Why many in Muriwai can’t move on
1News: ‘Not OK’ to abuse roadworkers fixing cyclone damage – Hipkins
Amy Williams (RNZ): Cyclone victims awaiting insurer’s response say not knowing their fate is causing anxiety
EDUCATION
Damien Venuto (Herald): The Front Page: Education crisis – how bad has the system become and what can be done to repair it?
RNZ: Fully prescribed curriculum not the answer to problems in education – expert
Glenn McConnell (Stuff): National wants classes to get ‘back to basics’. What does that mean?
Jenna Lynch (Newshub): National’s education plan sounds ‘more buzzword than policy’
Herald: National to detail more of its education policy after committing to curriculum rewrite
Alice Wilkins (Newshub): National wants primary school students’ learning evaluated by age, principals, unions say more skilled teachers are needed before curriculum changed
Jamie Ensor (Newshub): Chris Hipkins doesn’t want education curriculum to become ‘political football’ after National plan ‘rewrite’
RNZ: National Party plans to rewrite school curriculum if elected
1News: National to ‘rewrite the curriculum’ for kids – Luxon
Glenn McConnell (Stuff): National party will ‘rewrite’ New Zealand’s school curriculum, if elected
Arena Williams and Stuart Smith (Stuff): New Zealand kids used to be in the top 10 in the world for reading, maths and science
HOUSING
Colleen Hawkes (Stuff): Renting when you’re over 65: Kiwis facing an uncertain future
Thomas Coughlan (Herald): Government policies blamed for record rents in new survey from Housing Ministry
Geraden Cann (Stuff): Mixed signals on rent prices data as some show Auckland and Wellington falling
Miriam Bell (Stuff): Rent rises ahead as landlords face tougher conditions
Greg Ninness (Interest): Home ownership remains out of reach for first home buyers on average incomes in spite of recent falls in house prices
RNZ: Housing market sees biggest sales slump in 40 years
Greg Ninness (Interest): Worst housing sales volume slump in 40 years as CoreLogic records the lowest February sales since 1981
Miriam Bell (Stuff): New report ranks Auckland seventh least affordable housing market
Tumamao Harawira (Whakaata Māori): Youth transitional housing opens in South Auckland
James Perry (Whakaata Māori): Iwi leading urgent housing rebuild and managed retreat for Wairoa
Herewini Waikato (Whakaata Māori): Ngāti Ngararanui opposes housing development that may affect its awa
COST OF LIVING, ECONOMY
Susan St John (Daily Blog): Let them eat cake
RNZ: Rising living costs set to ‘significantly dent household budgets’, economist says
Jonathan Mitchell (NBR): Households sour on high living costs and economy, survey suggests (paywalled)
Herald Editorial: Cost of living editorial: Putting the crisis in perspective (paywalled)
RNZ: Consumers remain pessimistic as financial pressures to become more intense
Keiller MacDuff (Stuff): Canterbury foodbanks ‘desperate’ in wake of Cyclone Gabrielle and rising inflation
ENERGY
Tina Morrison (Stuff): Kiwis concerned electricity will become unaffordable as some borrow to pay bills
RNZ: Consumers worried over affordability, reliability of electricity supply
Ian Llewellyn (BusinessDesk): Households worry about electricity costs and resilience (paywalled)
RNZ: New Zealanders could pay extra $7 billion for power over next 12 years, report says
Ian Llewellyn (BusinessDesk): Gas plan offers much pain for little gain, says gas sector (paywalled)
Ian Llewellyn (BusinessDesk): The hydrogen dream – a tale of two countries (paywalled)
POSIE PARKER
Dane Giraud (Plan Sight): Is the no debate strategy working?
Kevin Veale (The Conversation): Does public safety trump free speech? History suggests there is a case for banning anti-trans activist Posie Parker from NZ
Lloyd Burr (Newshub): Why I’ll protest Kellie-Jay Keen-Minshull
Byron Clark (Herald): An open letter to the Minister of Immigration about anti-trans activist Posie Parker
Katie Harris , Raphael Franks and Rachel Maher (Herald): Posie Parker: Anti-trans activist Kellie-Jay Keen-Minshull set to touch down in New Zealand on Friday
Amelia Wade (Newshub): Posie Parker: Counter-protests planned as anti-trans protester gets greenlight for NZ travel, Labour MP expected to attend
Frances Chin (Stuff): Queer activist group plans ‘positive’ protest near anti-trans gathering
Frances Chin (Stuff): Immigration minister prefers anti-trans activist Kellie-Jay Keen-Minshull ‘never set foot in NZ’
Gill Bonnett (RNZ): Anti-transgender activist Posie Parker to be allowed into New Zealand
Jonathan Killick (Stuff): Posie Parker: What do you have to do to get denied a visa?
Toels Sommerville (Stuff): What you need to know about the anti-trans activist coming to NZ
TRANSPORT
Thomas Coughan (Herald): Michael Wood overruled trying to make half-price fares permanent – not ruling out reviving policy (paywalled)
Jenna Lynch (Newshub): How the Government could rejig its too-successful Clean Car Discount scheme
Newshub: Automobile Association backs Government’s plan for mega electric vehicle charging hubs along state highways
Peter Dunne: NZ needs its own coastal shipping service
RNZ: Kaitaki breakdown fuels fears over lack of support for ships in distress in Cook Strait
Jimmy Ellingham (RNZ): Auckland Transport blames bad weather for derailing bus services
FOREIGN AFFAIRS
Sam Sachdeva (Newsroom): Mahuta’s China trip a test of NZ sensitivities
Thomas Manch (Stuff): NZ should better support Solomon Island as China steps up, MPs say
Tema Hemi (Whakaata Māori): Luxon: More to trading than China
1News: ‘Courageous and kind’ – Ron Mark on Kiwi reportedly killed in Ukraine
RNZ: Mother of Kiwi killed in Ukraine tried to stop him going but ‘he had his mind made up’
Charlotte Cook (RNZ): Kane Te Tai remembered as man of honour committed to aiding Ukraine
Newstalk ZB: Te Pāti Māori calls for New Zealand to become the Switzerland of the Pacific
Tom Peters (World Socialists): Top US official visits New Zealand to strengthen ties against China
CREATIVE NZ/MANAAKI
André Chumko (Stuff): Claim start-up made false declaration to Creative NZ before $5.3m contract win
Maria Slade (NBR): Sir Ian Taylor weighs in on Manaaki/Creative NZ funding row (paywalled)
André Chumko (Stuff): The changing face of Creative New Zealand
LOCAL GOVERNMENT
Todd Niall (Stuff): Auckland Council may quit Local Government NZ to save $400k in fees
Amy Williams (RNZ): Tātaki Auckland Unlimited sets out $40m event earnings as budget cuts loom
Erin Johnson (Stuff): Auckland’s election by the numbers: 1 in 5 non-voters filled in the paper
Hamish McNeilly (Stuff): ‘At no stage did I disrespect the karakia’, says emotional councillor after walkout
Doug Sail (Timaru Herald): Council’s hands out for 13.3% increase in Timaru District rates haul
Diane McCarthy (Local Democracy Reporting): Māori voices needed to inform freshwater future – BOP leader
Jake Kenny (Stuff): Corrupt council manager sobs as judge jails him for taking $70,000 in bribes over lucrative contracts
BusinessDesk: ‘Insidious crime’: SFO welcomes harsh sentence of corrupt council executive, associate
SOCIAL MEDIA
Chris Keall (Herald): Privacy Commissioner gives Twitter the bash – but Elon Musk actually has a point on two-factor authentication (paywalled)
Daniel Dunkley (BusinessDesk): Meta ‘unlikely to engage’ with NZ government on news bill (paywalled)
OTHER
Morgan Godfery (Stuff): Don’t blame coasters for slash, blame successive government policies
RNZ: GCSB spy boss Andrew Hampton to lead SIS
Ripu Bhatia (Stuff): Commissioner ‘optimistic’ for future on Race Relations Day
Donna Miles (Stuff): Refugees and minorities suffer as the drawbridge is raised
Grady Connell (Today FM): Getting to know New Zealand’s New Police Minister Ginny Andersen
Nadie Roberts and Sinead Gill (Stuff): Secretive underground group behind campaign to stop Pride Week event
Mana Wikaire-Lewis (Whakaata Māori): Te Whiu reunited with Crown-confiscated whenua
Beven Clement (Stuff): Why are big infrastructure projects always over budget?
Geroge Heagney (Stuff): Second new Poseidon aircraft arrives at Ōhakea to bolster air force capability
Jean Edwards (RNZ): Crown knew details of Hopeful Christian’s crimes in mid-90s – lawyer
