What if it’s actually worse with Shane Jones and Casey Costello than we think it is?

By
Martyn Bradbury
-
26
879

Here’s a problem.

The OECD warned us recently that corporate and vested interests have a level of influence over legislation that compromises our democracy…

According to an OECD report released today, New Zealand needs to tame its corporate lobbying industry. The Paris-based Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development has ranked New Zealand as the fourth-worst country among its 38 members when it comes to regulating vested interests that try to influence policymaking.

The OCED report for this country, Product Market Regulation indicators: How does New Zealand compare?, says that New Zealand is one of the few advanced economies that still doesn’t “have adequate rules that ensure transparency and accountability in the interactions between public officials and interest groups”. They warn that this absence threatens to produce an “unlevel playing field” in which big businesses can dominate and monopolise New Zealand industries, reducing productivity.

The report evaluates all the regulations in economies such as New Zealand to highlight where regulation, or a lack of it, leads to reduced economic competition. The OECD performs this process every five years, using about 1000 questions relating to each country’s regulatory framework. Overall, the quality of New Zealand’s regulations is deemed to be very close to the average in the OECD—the country ranks 20 out of the 38 organisation members.

- Sponsor Promotion -

Regarding lobbying regulations, the OECD measures each country on a scale between 0 to 6, in which 0 means “more transparent” and 6 means “less transparent”. Countries at the top of the scale, like France and Ireland, have excellent lobbying scores – both on 0.86 out of 6, and even the US is near the top, with a very good score of 1.71. New Zealand is at the other end with a score of 4.93 out of 6. The only OECD countries faring worse are Slovakia (5.14), Luxemburg (5.57) and Turkey (5.57).

You can see how New Zealand fares in the regulation of lobbying in the chart below, taken from the report – the red bar is for New Zealand, the green bar is the OECD average:

…we are an open sewer of corporate and industry interests connected with the donor class who are now simply getting the laws written for their interest, not the common good.

It begs the question what if it’s actually worse with Shane Jones and Casey Costello than we think it is?

Let me explain.

Currently Politicians have to register their interests and and because they’ve all been in there for so long, those interests are blunted and worn smooth, but because NZF weren’t in power for a term that means their MPs could sign private consultancies and work for industry with the understanding that if they were then elected they would pursue the interests of those clients with the understanding that when they leave they can come back to those consultancies.

That the naked venal nature of NZF politicians and their lobbying consultancies ensure policy is in their interest as well as the interest of their donor.

Casey Costello was a Tobacco lobbyist through her time with the Taxpayer’s Union and I would be very surprised if Shane Jones and Winston didn’t both held private consultancies while they were out of power.

Costello ruthlessly pursues the interests of the Tobacco Industry while Shane is about to gain the power of Muldoon on Meth with the Fast Track powers that allow him to grant every wish his donor class want.

They are ensuring their donor class interests are being implanted WHILE the OECD is warning us that the current system allows for Corporations to buy their own laws.

We refuse to listen because that forces questions about who we voted for.

Better to still be angry at Jacinda for having the temerity to save 20 000 lives than to question voting for a system that helps corporations collectively exploit us.

 

26 COMMENTS

  1. Does it need to be worse? It’s patently obvious they are ridiculously dishonest, and certainly not (especially in Costellos case) acting in the interests of the public.

    Shane Jones is probably even worse but he can hide behind supposed job creation as he holds out the offering plate.

  2. These two are prime examples of the rise of the aluminum hat mentality along with growth of red neckery .Jones clearly sees the need for more Tin hats so is pushing for mining then he will set up a tin hat factory up north and export to the world .Costello on the other had is just plain deranged .As an older person I fare for the wellbeing of us over 65s as she is the minister for old people .I fully expect a years free supply of cigarets to come in the mail any day soon to hasten my demise as her counterpart the minister of health DR CIGARETTI looks to down size the health service .After all durring the covid pandemic the right wing were pushing the mantra that us over 65s were expendable as we are now a liability to the economy as we no longer work .

    • Geez, Pip. Helen Clark is one of the smartest ex-politicians that we have currently alive.

      If you rank her lower than Winston, then I worry about your ability to dress yourself.

      • Oh Pip dear love, do you identity as a they/them?
        Tell me what Peter’s is doing right to counter Clark’s criticism or you in fact are the moron.

      • An exPM chastising a current deputy PM for his vocabulary viz ‘retards’, may need prioritise a tad better than she seems to be, or get herself a hobby.

  4. Your last 2 sentences sum things up. I’ve noted recently the people who say, ‘Oh I’m keeping an open mind re this govt.’
    Two things.
    Firstly they can’t help inferring that we have closed minds because we’ve already identified the likely damage and trouble this govt. will create. Lobbyists will lobby. Their skills and contacts will be useful in govt.
    Secondly they cannot admit, even to themselves, that they know they voted wrongly.

    We had made a lot of progress yet here we are, back where we started, in the 70s basically, trying to convince people not to smoke and not to ruin the environment, all over again.
    Not to mention all the other retrogressive dangers we face from other so-called ministers.

    Much more fun to crank the tractor up and continue to be angry with a young woman.
    Therefore, I will continue to be angry with those who encouraged the weak, inexperienced and egotistical Luxon to think he was suitable prime ministerial material.

  6. At the same time can we include discussion about Helen Clark and her links to the undeniably corrupt UN and Ardern’s attachment to Klaus Schab and the WEF? Because I see these two influences as being far more of a threat than simple business interests.

Comments are closed.