Campaign Resources
Our Action plan
Other OECD countries have much stronger systems to protect the public good from undue vested influence. We should draw on the best of these examples and adapt them for our own local context. Health Coalition Aotearoa has developed a comprehensive action plan to level the playing field.
1. Regulate lobbying
A fully public register of lobbyists’ meetings with decision-makers so we can see who is influencing whom, a mandatory code of conduct, and an integrity commission to enforce these measures.
2. Slow the revolving door
A “cooling off” period – during which former ministers and other officials can’t become lobbyists in their former areas of responsibility – to ensure confidential state information isn’t misused for private benefit.
3. Better manage conflicts of interest
Strengthened codes of conduct for all government employees, appointees and contractors so that conflicts relating to commercial, private, predetermination or role are explicitly declared and managed.
4. Strengthen transparency legislation
A rewrite of the Official Information Act to ensure that more government information is published automatically and it’s harder to refuse requests for it, so we can see more clearly who’s influencing decisions and advice.
5. Tighten restrictions on political donations
This could include a cap on individual donations to reduce the disproportionate influence of wealthy donors, lower the public disclosure threshold (the amount at which donor identity must be publicly reported) to enhance transparency, and only allow registered voters to make donations.
Underlying Principles: Equity, Te Tiriti o Waitangi and The Bill of Rights
Any proposed integrity legislation must uphold Te Tiriti o Waitangi (especially protecting the Crown-Iwi relationships) and the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990 (especially protecting the freedom of association and freedom of expression).
Learn more about the Level the Playing Field action plan
Key Terms
Definition: Donations where the donor’s identity is hidden from the public or the political party. There are usually limits on how much can be donated anonymously.
Why it matters: Anonymous donations can be misused to hide who is influencing political decisions. Reducing limits increases transparency.
Definition: Financial or business interests that companies or organisations have in influencing government decisions to benefit their profits or operations.
Why it matters: When commercial vested interests dominate decision-making, policies may prioritise private gain over public health, the environment, or community wellbeing.
Definition: A cooling-off period is a required break (e.g. 1-3 years) before former government ministers, staff, or senior public servants can work as lobbyists.
Why it matters: It reduces the risk of confidential state information or personal connections being misused for private benefit.
Definition: A conflict of interest occurs when someone in a government role has competing personal, financial, or professional interests that could improperly influence their decisions.
Why it matters: Conflicts of interest can erode trust in government and lead to decisions that favour private interests over the public.
Definition: An independent body tasked with enforcing rules and policies to protect public integrity, such as regulating lobbying or managing conflicts of interest.
Why it matters: An integrity commission ensures regulations are upheld and unethical behaviour is investigated and addressed.
Definition: Integrity protections are systems, policies, and practices designed to promote ethical behaviour, transparency, and accountability in government and institutions, preventing corruption, undue influence, and conflicts of interest.
Why it matters: Integrity protections ensure decisions are made in the public interest, build trust in governance, and safeguard democratic processes from unethical practices.
Definition: Integrity protections are systems, policies, and practices designed to promote ethical behaviour, transparency, and accountability in government and institutions, preventing corruption, undue influence, and conflicts of interest.
Why it matters: Integrity protections ensure decisions are made in the public interest, build trust in governance, and safeguard democratic processes from unethical practices.
Definition: Lobbying is when individuals or organisations try to influence government decisions or policies, often by meeting with politicians, advisors, or public servants.
Why it matters: While lobbying can provide important information to decision-makers, it can become harmful if done in secret or unethically.
Definition: An international organisation of 38 countries that works to promote good governance, transparency, and economic development.
Why it matters: OECD recommendations often set global standards for transparency and integrity in government.
Definition:
Transparency in government is the practice of making government actions, decisions, policies, and processes accessible, understandable, and open to public scrutiny.
Openness in government is the proactive practice of engaging citizens, sharing information, and fostering participation in decision-making, creating an inclusive and collaborative relationship between the government and the public.
Why it matters:
Greater transparency helps build public trust, reduces corruption and ensures decision-making is accountable and fair.
Openness ensures that government decisions reflect public interests, not just those of powerful groups. It empowers communities to participate in shaping policies
Definition: When individuals, organisations, or interest groups exert disproportionate influence over the policymaking process to shape decisions and outcomes that serve their own private interests, often undermining the public good.
Why it matters: Policy capture distorts fair governance, allowing powerful interests to control decisions that should benefit everyone. This undermines trust in government, creates inequality, and diverts resources and policies away from serving the needs of the wider public.
Definition: Public integrity is the consistent adherence to ethical principles, transparency, and accountability by all public institutions, officials, and employees in the performance of their duties. It ensures that public resources, processes, and decisions are used and conducted in a way that prioritises the public interest, avoids corruption, and fosters trust in governance.
Why it matters: Public integrity is necessary to maintain trust in democratic systems by upholding accountability, fairness, and respect for the rule of law in all aspects of public service.
Definition: The public disclosure threshold is the minimum donation amount that requires the donor’s identity to be made public. Donations below this amount remain private.
Why it matters: Lowering this threshold improves openness by revealing significant donors and reducing hidden influence.
Definition: The “revolving door” describes the movement of people between government roles and private sector lobbying jobs, where they may misuse insider knowledge or connections for private gain.
Why it matters: It creates conflicts of interest and can allow confidential state information to be used to benefit private clients.
Definition: State funding provides public money to political parties to help them run campaigns and operations. This reduces reliance on large private donations.
Why it matters: State funding ensures parties are fairly supported without being influenced by wealthy donors or vested interests.
Definition: Undue influence happens when individuals, companies, or organisations use money, power, or personal connections to gain unfair advantages in decision-making.
Why it matters: It undermines fairness, making policy decisions benefit a privileged few instead of the public good.
