Trust in law-making in Aotearoa is being eroded by the clear influence of commercial lobbying of Ministers along with large donations to political parties, the Green Party says.
A new report from Victoria University of Wellington researchers shows how lobbying works, with examples of industry lobbyists shaping Government decisions on oil field clean-ups, tobacco tax, KiwiSaver, emissions pricing, and climate court cases, often against the advice of officials and public opinion.
“This report makes clear the risks to democracy when agri-business, tobacco, oil, and other billion-dollar industries are allowed almost unfettered access to law makers, with very limited daylight on what’s being asked and of whom,” Green Party Co-leader Marama Davidson says.
“Lobbying and political donations must be better regulated to prevent the appearance or fact of political corruption.
“This week, documents released under the Official Information Act showed how key sections of new anti-environment laws exactly replicate the demands of very wealthy, very polluting industries.
“When questioned on this, the Prime Minister, along with Ministers Bishop and Seymour have ardently insisted that these lobbyists had no special influence, despite what has been written into the new legislation.
“Whole sections of law on climate emissions, resource use, pollution, development, and the principle of caution have been rewritten based on industry lobbyists asks, and regardless of public submissions, official advice, and expert warnings.
“While 75% of public submissions supported strong environmental protection, instead we’ve ended up with an open invitation for industries to harm the environment and become even richer as a result.
“This is what the impact of big business lobbying looks like, and what Luxon, Bishop, and Seymour have been defending all week.
“The real-world consequences will be more pollution in our rivers, more climate-cooking emissions, and more extinction of native plants and animals.
"For nearly three years we've seen oil companies help rewrite drilling rules, a tobacco giant's products get a 50 per cent tax cut, and Fonterra and Z Energy get the law changed to block a climate court case.
"The Prime Minister and his Ministers appear to be at the beck and call of the next industry lobbyist who walks into their office. The Green Party will be releasing its Anti-Corruption Policy soon, to counter the corrupting influence of industrial lobbying.
“Luxon's Government looks like it has been captured by industry at the expense of everyday New Zealanders. Governments are elected to represent people, not industry interests," says Marama Davidson.
