Establish a public register of lobbyists and require disclosure of lobbying contacts

The government should establish a public register of lobbyists and of lobbying contacts to allow this sort of behind-the-scenes influence to be monitored.

Political lobbyists exert a significant influence on policy in New Zealand, much of it behind the scenes. This influence corrodes our democracy, leading to suspicion that wealthy vested interests exert undue influence over the formation of policy.

Many countries combat this problem by requiring lobbyists to be registered and lobbying contacts to be disclosed. In 2012 the New Zealand Parliament considered such a proposal, in the form of Keith Locke's Lobbying Disclosure Bill, but it was defeated.

A measure of this nature would increase both public integrity and corporate accountability, while implementing the OGP values of accountability and transparency. The Ministry of Justice is probably best-suited to deliver this commitment. Milestones could include the introduction and passage of legislation, the establishment of the register, and the first regular report from the registrar.