Calling all journalists, academics, planners, lawyers, political activists, environmentalists, and other members of the public who believe that the relationships between vested interests and politicians need to be scrutinised. We need to work together to make sure that the new Fast-Track Approvals Bill – currently being pushed through by the government – works in the public interest, and doesn’t encourage corruption and lobbying that produces poor decisions.
Author: Sir Guy Powles, former Ombudsman, now writing on behalf of the Coalition for Open Government
Date: 17 September 1979:
Subject: Comment on a recently tabled ‘National Development Bill’,
His commentary includes: ‘This is not just a “streamlining Bill.” In the name of speed, it over-rides established procedures for public participation and excludes the courts. It avoids giving the public access to vital information on new large-scale projects, and it sets to one side the accumulated expertise of specialised planning and administrative bodies up and down the country.’ Then Sir Guy's signature.
Well done Bryce. It should be a concern to everyone, no matter their political preference, to have unqualified politicians bypassing due processes which were designed to protect NZ.
Honesty and integrity are in short supply in parliament at the best of times.
Parliamentarians are our legislators and in fact have created and create the due process to which you refer. So they need to be "qualified,'' or at least be willing to rely upon expert advice to make the decisions they make (or default to their ideology). Many regulations have gone over the top and need to be revisited in the interest of productivity. Often legislation has unintended consequences that weren't foreseen. Whether or not this is the way to fix that remains to be seen. It's certainly a way to implement change quickly but perhaps not effectively. Lastly, I must say you're using a pretty broad brush on the "honesty and integrity" front about people dedicating their lives to public service, of whatever political stripe. It's an
Some of our longest serving politicians could hardly be described as honest. I have seen Winston deny he has said something only for the news to play the clip again. Is that honest?
Some more recent ones just got done for DIC, shoplifting, benefit fraud. Others have resigned because of their actions like passing on information to someone in the private sector, or for having a huge ego (do you know who I am!!).
After the last six years of the most open and transparent government ever which was far from that, I defend my position on the basis that not everyone gets their hand caught in the cookie jar and we have had several in the last 5 years which would indicate a much larger honesty and integrity problem within parliament.
Okay, good idea but a potential can of worms in filtering out the legitimate from the illegitimate. Who is going to police the potential conflicts of interest and political intent of those complaining? They will not be pure necessarily either but rather looking to stir and cause problems.
On the contrary, if you look at this bill in depth, it IS a very alarming by pass of all the necessary checks and balances and public and expert participation. Fortunately, many commentators and environmental organisations are quite rightly alarmed. Who will be the watchdogs if the usual processes and channels are by-passed? It's up to concerned citizens and investigative journalists to keep this in the public sphere now.
I totally disagree with you, Kath. As somebody who held public office for years and who railed against rules and regulations often, this proposed legislation scares the hell out of me. My observation is that Minister Jones does not appear to have a moral compass and Minister Brown is just somebody who should have spent more time in the real world before being promoted. When proposed legislation is criticized by all parts of the political spectrum that should ring alarm bells in the halls of power.
And to me, and many many commentators. Corruption creeps in through the erosion of checks and balances, not necessarily intentionally, that then get exploited by those with an interest in exploiting them. This bill removes many significant checks and balances on huge projects... That is a glaring red flag that it is inviting murky politics at best, and corruption at worst. So it may not be alarming to you, but it should be.
Despite the so-called checks and balances, we have seen a slow drift into corruption and profiteering over recent years. I think it would be hypocrisy not to acknowledge that. And NZ has gone backwards on almost every measure.
With the exception of lawyers, the proposed list seems somewhat unbalanced and bereft of people having real world business insight. You may be in danger of setting up another media industry bias echo chamber.
Well done Bryce! I fully support all your efforts and wish you every success! I believe we sorely need a watchdog body as you suggest, to protect our hard won democracy!
Good stuff Bryce. There's a quote somewhere by one of the earlier US presidents stating that all donations by any corporation or business or individual to any party should be illegal. Sadly we seem to be following the lobbyist pathway of the current nightmare in the states thanks to the likes of Bishop, Jones and Seymour. Heaven help us all
From my files I have this interesting passage:
Author: Sir Guy Powles, former Ombudsman, now writing on behalf of the Coalition for Open Government
Date: 17 September 1979:
Subject: Comment on a recently tabled ‘National Development Bill’,
His commentary includes: ‘This is not just a “streamlining Bill.” In the name of speed, it over-rides established procedures for public participation and excludes the courts. It avoids giving the public access to vital information on new large-scale projects, and it sets to one side the accumulated expertise of specialised planning and administrative bodies up and down the country.’ Then Sir Guy's signature.
Plus ça change, plus c'est le meme chose!!
Well done Bryce. It should be a concern to everyone, no matter their political preference, to have unqualified politicians bypassing due processes which were designed to protect NZ.
Honesty and integrity are in short supply in parliament at the best of times.
Parliamentarians are our legislators and in fact have created and create the due process to which you refer. So they need to be "qualified,'' or at least be willing to rely upon expert advice to make the decisions they make (or default to their ideology). Many regulations have gone over the top and need to be revisited in the interest of productivity. Often legislation has unintended consequences that weren't foreseen. Whether or not this is the way to fix that remains to be seen. It's certainly a way to implement change quickly but perhaps not effectively. Lastly, I must say you're using a pretty broad brush on the "honesty and integrity" front about people dedicating their lives to public service, of whatever political stripe. It's an
easy, cheap shot but not really fair in my view.
Some of our longest serving politicians could hardly be described as honest. I have seen Winston deny he has said something only for the news to play the clip again. Is that honest?
Some more recent ones just got done for DIC, shoplifting, benefit fraud. Others have resigned because of their actions like passing on information to someone in the private sector, or for having a huge ego (do you know who I am!!).
After the last six years of the most open and transparent government ever which was far from that, I defend my position on the basis that not everyone gets their hand caught in the cookie jar and we have had several in the last 5 years which would indicate a much larger honesty and integrity problem within parliament.
Okay, good idea but a potential can of worms in filtering out the legitimate from the illegitimate. Who is going to police the potential conflicts of interest and political intent of those complaining? They will not be pure necessarily either but rather looking to stir and cause problems.
Yes Karen, of course it'll be a winge fest for the permanently outraged.
The whole way Bryce is going about this looks like he is alarmist and going down a rabbit hole.
On the contrary, if you look at this bill in depth, it IS a very alarming by pass of all the necessary checks and balances and public and expert participation. Fortunately, many commentators and environmental organisations are quite rightly alarmed. Who will be the watchdogs if the usual processes and channels are by-passed? It's up to concerned citizens and investigative journalists to keep this in the public sphere now.
Alarming to you.
I totally disagree with you, Kath. As somebody who held public office for years and who railed against rules and regulations often, this proposed legislation scares the hell out of me. My observation is that Minister Jones does not appear to have a moral compass and Minister Brown is just somebody who should have spent more time in the real world before being promoted. When proposed legislation is criticized by all parts of the political spectrum that should ring alarm bells in the halls of power.
And to me, and many many commentators. Corruption creeps in through the erosion of checks and balances, not necessarily intentionally, that then get exploited by those with an interest in exploiting them. This bill removes many significant checks and balances on huge projects... That is a glaring red flag that it is inviting murky politics at best, and corruption at worst. So it may not be alarming to you, but it should be.
Despite the so-called checks and balances, we have seen a slow drift into corruption and profiteering over recent years. I think it would be hypocrisy not to acknowledge that. And NZ has gone backwards on almost every measure.
An excellent call to arms (and ears and eyes) Bryce, thank you!
Aux armes, citoyens !
Formez vos bataillons !
I’m in! 👊🏽
Agreed!
👏
And there was National all those years claiming they were against none accountable communist central power.
Seems to be a greater level of hypocrisy than normal going on all around the world at present.
With the exception of lawyers, the proposed list seems somewhat unbalanced and bereft of people having real world business insight. You may be in danger of setting up another media industry bias echo chamber.
Well done Bryce! I fully support all your efforts and wish you every success! I believe we sorely need a watchdog body as you suggest, to protect our hard won democracy!
Yes, I am interested but I have no particular expertise
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/514859/at-least-two-businesses-invited-to-apply-for-fast-track-consents-have-donated-to-national-says-labour
Good stuff Bryce. There's a quote somewhere by one of the earlier US presidents stating that all donations by any corporation or business or individual to any party should be illegal. Sadly we seem to be following the lobbyist pathway of the current nightmare in the states thanks to the likes of Bishop, Jones and Seymour. Heaven help us all
My submission on the Fat Cat Approvals Bill: https://energyandresilience.substack.com/p/fat-cat-fast-track-approvals-bill
Count me in Bryce. What ever you need for support, I'll be there.