Democracy Project Subastack

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of the $10.5 million in declared political donations received by New Zealand’s parliamentary parties last year. The findings reveal a political financing system under significant strain. While New Zealand maintains a global reputation for low corruption, the patterns of giving documented in this report point to a troubling disconnect between that perception and the reality of how political influence is sought and wielded.

PAY EQUITY Chris Trotter (Interest): Low pay isn’t a fixable bug in our free market system, it’s one of its indispensable features Edward Miller: Detonating pay equity leaves workers footing the bill RNZ: 'Nothing further from the truth' - pay equity shake-up not cutting pay for women, says PM RNZ: Christopher Luxon won't say if Ministry for Women consulted on pay equity changes rushed into law Thomas Coughlan (Herald): Chris Hipkins and Nicola Willis deliver pre-Budget speeches as pay equity...

If a business donates $50,000 to politicians who then give that business special exemptions not available to others, isn’t that a serious conflict of interest? I’m talking about the Fast Track Act applicants and the money they’ve donated to National, NZ First and Act.

PAY EQUITY, GOVERNMENT USE OF URGENCY Andrea Vance (Sunday Star Times): The girl-math budget that will cut deep, especially for women (paywalled) Thomas Coughlan (Herald): An ugly week for National MPs (paywalled) Vernon Small (Sunday Star Times): National will pay a steep price for grotesquely bad pay review politics (paywalled) Craig Renney: Pay Equity Questions yet to be answered Verity Johnson (Stuff): Kate Sheppard would be rolling in her grave after this week’s drive-by political...

There are many good reasons to be disturbed and dismayed by the Government's pay equity law changes. And maybe there are reasons to be pleased and supportive of the changes. Yet this debate between these perspectives won't occur in a healthy way that helps shape the legislation, because regardless of the rights or wrongs of the Government's pay equity changes, the legal amendments were announced on Tuesday morning and quickly passed into law by the end of Wednesday.

LOBBYING AND INFLUENCE Guyon Espiner (RNZ): Alcohol lobbyists given input on health policies, documents reveal Danica Ludlow (Health Coalition Aotearoa): Evidence of lobbying of NZ Government officials by the alcohol industry RNZ: Labour proposes law to restrict big tobacco lobbyists influence on government John Lewis (ODT): Tobacco Transparency Bill ‘will benefit all’ (paywalled) Fox Meyer (Newsroom): Dairy dominates science panel as Govt milks research for profit PAY EQUITY, EMPLOYMENT...

PAY EQUITY, EMPLOYMENT Janet Wilson (Post): National blows up its support from women with pay equity debacle (paywalled) Thomas Coughlan (Herald): Under urgency, without basic paperwork, the Govt moves to change workers’ rights (paywalled) Marc Daalder (Newsroom): National grins and bears it as Act notches wins in Parliament Richard Harman (Politik): Saving the Budget (paywalled) Glenn McConnell (Stuff): The equal pay law change has passed.

PAY EQUITY, EMPLOYMENT Luke Malpass (Post): Pay equity slashing a sub-plot in a much larger game (paywalled) Jo Moir (RNZ): Pay equity changes: Two sides of the coalition brought out Glenn McConnell (Stuff): Five things you need to know about the surprise pay equity change Catherine McGregor (Spinoff): ‘Dark day for NZ women’ as pay equity regime gutted under urgency Fleur Fitzsimons (Post): Pay equity rollback: constitutional vandalism on an unprecedented scale (paywalled) Bill Hickman...

It’s very difficult to hold power to account when they don’t keep proper records of what they are doing. That’s the essence of the problem when Cabinet Ministers like Erica Stanford “go off the grid” and use private communications channels like Gmail for their official government business. Whether intentionally or not, such politicians create “accountability holes” that prevent them from being fully scrutinised.

PARLIAMENT, PUBLIC SECTOR Tom Day (1News): Erica Stanford sent pre-Budget documents to her personal email Russell Palmer (RNZ): National's Erica Stanford used personal email for work purposes Julia Gabel (Herald): Senior Minister Erica Stanford sent official briefings to personal email account Sam Smith (Stuff): National minister used personal email for government business Mountain Tūi: What Shocked Me About Erica Stanford's Emails Matthew Hooton (Patreon): Erica Stanford “scandal” is bad for...