Source: Greenpeace Aotearoa
Greenpeace is calling on all political parties to support a citizens assembly to reform electoral finance laws in light of the alarming flood of political donations threatening to drown democracy in New Zealand.
“Our democracy is facing an unprecedented onslaught of political party donations, which have increased five-fold compared to two electoral cycles ago”, says Greenpeace Executive Director Russel Norman.
“Much of this money is linked to corporations that are actively trying to circumvent environmental protection rules, making this flood of donations a threat to both the democratic process and environmental rules and regulations that protect nature.
“The tens of millions in political donations pouring in from individuals and corporations linked to polluting industries corrupts the democratic process. It is naive to think that political parties are immune to the pressure that comes from depending on millions in funding from polluting industries.
“That’s why today we are calling for an end to all corporate donations to political parties. Only people should be allowed to donate, and there must be a limit on how much each person can donate, for example $1000.
“But most of all we are calling for all parties to support a citizens assembly to deliberate on the rules on electoral finance.”
Citizen Assemblies are a type of deliberative democracy where a diverse group of people who represent society gather to debate a complex issue using collaborative decision making techniques. They have been used in Ireland to debate abortion law, Canada, some Australian states and by the Wellington City Council.
Norman says that all political parties would be compromised in any debate over reforming political donations.
“Political parties are an essential part of our democracy but when it comes to electoral finance reform, citizens assemblies are the best bodies to deliberate on electoral finance law, given that all parties have an unavoidable conflict of interest”, says Norman.
Political donations are increasing. In the non-election years of 2024 and 2025, Electoral Commission records show that $25 million was donated to political parties. For the comparable years in the previous electoral cycle, 2021 and 2022, the total was $11 million. In the electoral cycle before, it was only $5 million
Already in 2026, nearly $4 million has been declared in donations, and that’s only donations that need to be declared under the rolling disclosure rules.
“Many of the political party donors are individuals or companies linked to applications in the fast track approvals process, a process which was designed to sidestep environmental guardrails”, says Norman.
“Other donors are linked to industries actively lobbying to weaken environmental protections, such as the fishing and agribusiness industries, or are from fossil fuel companies which are seeking to weaken climate change policies.”Donations like this are a problem for democracy but also an issue for environmental campaigning organisations like Greenpeace, which is why we are speaking out.
“Greenpeace is committed to protecting democracy from the corrosive influence of money because it is important in itself, but also because we can see the influence of polluters’ money on the government which will ultimately impact the environment we all depend on.
“Today we call on all political parties to support such a citizens assembly on electoral finance reform.”
Greenpeace has sent a letter asking for the above to all political parties.