The Claytons lobbying reform
Chris Hipkins announced for so called measures around lobbying reform. They are:
- Requesting the Speaker remove swipe-card access to Parliament for business, non-government sector and union representatives
- Offering Government support to third-party lobbyists to establish a voluntary code of conduct
- A refreshed Cabinet Manual being published this month sets clear expectations for Ministers in relation to conduct and decisions when considering future employment
- Starting long-term work on policy options to regulate lobbying
These range from trivial to insignificant.
The fourth point is merely announcing there might be a discussion document some stage after the election.
The third point is almost meaningless. It just says if a Minister is planning to jump ship and become a lobbyist, they should not make decisions that might benefit their future employer. This is not the issue. The issue is a Cabinet Minister with their detailed knowledge of every Cabinet discussion on every issue, should not be able to become a lobbyist within weeks of leaving Cabinet. There should be a stand-down period.
The second point is also meaningless. It means they will write a letter to the lobbyists asking them to do something.
The first point is probably the most laughable. The swipe cards (I have one) merely means you don’t have to go through the security scanner and wait at reception for a staffer to come down to walk you down a corridor to an office. Rather than make it harder for people to access Parliament, they should be making it easier and granting swipe cards to anyone who is a regular visitor. All this change will do (if the Speaker agrees) is mean staffers have to walk to and from their office more often when they have a visitor for their MP.
This announcement is so laughably weak, it shows how desperate the Government is to try and look like they are doing something, even if something is dreamed up in ten minutes.
I don’t personally think there is an issue with staffers (not Ministers) going on to become lobbyists. But having lobbyists parachute in to be the PMs Chief of Staff is an issue. Both Ardern and Hipkins have done this. Nothing in the announcement today will change that.