Why New Zealand Must Regulate Lobbying to Protect Democracy

New Zealand prides itself on integrity and fairness. We often see ourselves as a democracy where decisions are made transparently, and all citizens have equal access to government. But beneath that reputation, the reality is far less reassuring. Unlike most developed countries, New Zealand has no dedicated rules governing lobbying. That gap leaves our democracy exposed to hidden influence, conflicts of interest, and a culture where insiders can buy access while ordinary people are shut out.


When secrecy breeds corruption.
International watchdogs warn that unregulated lobbying is a major corruption risk. The OECD found that countries without clear rules are most vulnerable to abuses like “revolving door” appointments and secret influence. Transparency International reports that only seven of 19 European countries assessed had strong lobbying laws. New Zealand sits firmly at the unregulated end of the spectrum.

Here, lobbyists do not need to register their clients or disclose who they meet. There is no stand-down period to prevent ministers from moving directly into lobbying firms. A Ministry of Justice paper obtained by RNZ bluntly warned that this revolving door risks misuse of privileged information, undermines trust, and could “affect social cohesion.” One meeting attendee even reported a law firm charging $250,000 to lobby for a law change. When influence is opaque, who benefits? I can tell you this, its not the public.

A history of missed opportunities
The first real chance to fix this came in 2012, when the Lobbying Disclosure Bill proposed a register of lobbyists, mandatory disclosure of lobbying activity, and a code of conduct. Its purpose was to shine a light on hidden influence and restore trust. Instead, the bill was quietly killed after MPs argued it might capture ordinary citizens. What we got instead were weak non-legislative “guidelines" and this is where I believe the real issues started to get worse. 

Since then, revolving-door appointments have multiplied. Ministers have stepped straight from Cabinet to lobbying firms (often called Consulting Firms/PR Agencies and Government Relations). Successive governments,  across all parties, have looked the other way.

In 2023, the issue briefly resurfaced after RNZ revealed the scale of unregulated lobbying. The Government announced interim measures like removing swipe-card access for lobbyists and encouraging a voluntary code of conduct. But as experts warned, this risks being a “fox guarding the chicken coop.” Voluntary codes are not serious regulation. It's nothing more than window dressing, a symbolic gesture, not a structural fix. The System remains wide open to hidden influence, while leaving the real problems untouched.

Why voluntary codes won’t cut it
A voluntary code asks lobbyists to be honest and disclose conflicts – but it has no teeth. No one is compelled to register, and there are no penalties for secrecy. Meanwhile, the draft code circulated in 2024 sidesteps the core issue, the revolving door. OECD countries impose stand-down periods for ex-ministers. Australia requires 18 months. Canada mandates five years. New Zealand’s draft code requires nothing.

Without real rules, the public will continue to suspect favouritism and corruption. And suspicion alone corrodes trust in democracy.

What needs to change
Healthy advocacy is not the problem. Secret lobbying is. New Zealand urgently needs:
1. A public register of lobbyists with mandatory disclosure of clients, issues, and meetings with ministers or anyone in a position of influence. Including the CEO's and Executive Teams. 
2. Stand down periods for ministers, advisers and senior officials before they can lobby. 
3. Proactive publication of ministerial diaries, regulator impact statements and policy papers so citizens can see who is influencing these decisions being made both a local and central level. 
4. An (real) independent oversight body. One with teeth, dedicated to investigating lobbying and influence. At present, responsibility is blurred... the Auditor General points to the Ombudsman, who in turn points elsewhere. The result is a circular game where no agency takes ownership. New Zealand needs a clear, empowered watchdog for lobbying...not a merry-go-round of buck passing.

New Zealand’s reputation cannot rest on assumptions of integrity while influence stays hidden. When lobbying happens in the shadows, it favours the wealthy and the well-connected and locks out ordinary people. That is not democracy.

It is time for Parliament to legislate real transparency, not leave lobbyists to police themselves and to assume that those elected or appointed into positions of power are always playing by the rules. 

Yesterday I saw people stealing from an honesty box. Times are changing. People are changing. We must push for things to change.  

​Thank you for reading. 
​Erika Harvey

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