Source: Health Coalition Aotearoa
Media are invited to cover an upcoming webinar, where politicians from across the political spectrum will present their parties’ policies on lobbying reform.
Lobbying is set to be an election issue: attend a webinar on Monday 5 October to hear where six political parties stand on the issue.
“Out of 47 OECD countries, we are bottom of the class for regulating lobbying activities, when most countries have already enacted laws and regulations,” says Health Coalition Aotearoa co-chair Professor Boyd Swinburn.
See OECD Economics Working Paper 2026: https://www.oecd.org/content/dam/oecd/en/publications/reports/2026/01/regulating-lobbying-activities-to-protect-competition_269a52e7/ad88f58a-en.pdf
“None of these lobbying regulations, including in places like Ireland, Australia, Canada or France, are perfect, but they do create transparency and accountability.”
The webinar comes at a time when Aotearoa New Zealand faces a health system crisis that could be eased by policies addressing tobacco, alcohol and unhealthy food. However, it is highly likely that lobbying by vested interests before and during the development of health policy is the main reason successive governments have failed to act.
One in four years of healthy living lost in New Zealand is caused by the impacts of tobacco, obesity and unhealthy food, and alcohol.
“It doesn’t have to be this way if politicians put people, their voters, ahead of the profits of harmful industries,” says Swinburn.
A recent series of cancer research survey findings, published in the NZ Medical Journal, found broad public support for rules to regulate lobbying across voters for all parties and undecided voters: https://nzmj.org.nz/journal/vol-139-no-1641/public-support-for-better-controls-on-lobbying-and-industry-influence-in-aotearoa-new-zealand-findings-from-a-national-survey
Despite the evidence and public support, successive governments have failed to enact changes at a national level that would prevent illness and save lives. The result is a system that creates enormous health harm, disproportionately experienced by Māori, Pacific people, lower socioeconomic communities and children.
Politicians will be asked where their party stands on:
- A Lobbying Regulation Act with a mandatory, searchable public register.
- Stand-down periods to slow the revolving door between government and lobbying roles.
- Stronger management of commercial conflicts of interest.
- A rewrite of the Official Information Act.
- Tighter limits on political donations.
Health Coalition Aotearoa has received positive responses from – Te Pāti Māori Debbie Ngārewa Packer, Green Party Hūhana Lyndon (health), Jessica Hammond The Opportunity Party, Labour Camilla Belich, National – no response, NZ First Jenny Marcroft, ACT Todd Stevenson.
Join Health Coalition Aotearoa for this cross-party webinar to hear directly from representatives about the reforms they will support and push for. The discussion will be moderated by Georgie Craw from WEAll Aotearoa with time for audience Q&A: https://www.weall.org.nz/read-panui/welcome-georgie-craw-our-new-communications-lead
Event details
Date: Monday, 5 October 2026
Time: 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM NZT
Format: Online via Zoom Panel
Confirmed Parties: ACT | Labour | Greens | Opportunity Party
Cost: Free (Registration required)
Register: https://www.eventbrite.co.nz/e/webinar-a-cross-party-panel-on-lobbying-reform-tickets-2000537987975