Speaker Lockwood Smith has revealed 16 OR IS It 26 Professional Lobbyists who have exclusive Smartcards to The Beehive /Parliament.Name them Lockwood! Duncan Garner understands one is a major Liquor Lobbyist.? Time for Real Honest Transparency.

If we had a Lobbying Disclosure Bill in New Zealand that was transparent we would know for sure Why The Governments Alcohol Reform Bill in its final stages in Parliament has been criticised as too timid and why it has been dropped down the order Paper to have its final consideration next month. Given that it has been reported the number of High Flying professional Lobbyists who have Beehive /Smartcards issued by The Speaker of The House and given that one of those Holders is an Alcohol Lobbyist we Kiwis have concerns at the lack of transparency once again in the way this Government deals with secret privileged insiders.

Corporate lobbyists are at the heart of writing and determining polcy.They operate outside democratic control' generally hidden from public view. Our Governments have been riddled with hidden persuaders pushing the BIG Business agenda.Lobbying isn,t new. In theory it is just part of the democratic process.Any group with a special interest can lobby-be they charities,Business Roundtable or Trade Unions. But lobbying on behalf of big business interests dominates in terms of activity, money spent and clout.So just how much of our corporate lobbyists are at the heart of writing and determining policy.? Who are these corporate lobbyists.?

Remember the Fay Richwhite lobbyists who conned the Labour Government into giving away the Railways etc to them for bargain basement prices. They lobbied for only a few weeks and the Labour Government buckled , or have some of you Labour Groupees forgotten this dark side of N.Z. History?

We all remember every time we look at ACT I should think; hopefully, we'll be able to put it to rest one day soon since ACT is a dead man walking.

What I am looking into is just Who is pushing the politicians buttons.?It is reported that in Britain MPs may be contacted by lobbyists 100 times a week. The number of lobbyists in Washington has doubled since 2000. In Australia lobbyists spend is growing at three times the rate of inflation and is well over $1 Billion a year. Corporate lobbying is an industry. In the US The top big spender is the pharmeceutical and health industry which in 2009 invested almost $200 million derailing Obamas health reforms.

The EU, Canada, USA, France, Poland, Lithuania,Hungary and Australia I think operate a register of lobbyists Britain I am not sure about I think they rejected it in 2009 opting for "self regulation" whatever that means.Did they tell MURDOCH.?Did he tell them.?

Benny. You are starting to annoy me, and probably a lot of others also. And before you begin slinging off at me, let me tell you that I have voted National since the late 1970s.
What is beginning to annoy me is your constant haranguing of anyone that disagrees with you and your assumption that, simply BECAUSE they disagree with you, that they must be supporters of Labour.
O.K., I am no fan of Labour myself, as I said, but that does not mean that I think they are therefore automatically deluded, retarded, perverted, or stupid.
This has been said before, and I would have thought that you would have learnt your lesson recently, that it is O.K. to challenge the posted comment, but it is NOT O.K. to attack, or insult, the poster.
I have said this before, we are GROWN UPs, NOT politicians. So please act like the former.
Finally, your posts, when they are not political, are quite enjoyable and interesting. So please, keep those coming.
I have said my piece.

Chris21-4 You echo my sentiments and I have been the subject of Bennys abuse for a long time .On March 22nd Dave made it abundantly clear in his newsletter that posters were to agree to disagree and be respectful of each others positions. Apparently it seems Benny believes it does not refer to him.I am an acknowledged Labour supporter however I speak my independent mind and I do also support good sound Green ideas and have supported NZ First on ocassions I respect too GROWNUPS Posters discussion and independent ideas. I do not always agree with your posts but I sincerely respect your right to say them. Management set the standards March 22nd. they expected in their newsletter and after that I believe posters who intimidate denigrate and abuse each other should be dealt with by them.I look forward to discussing topics of interest from time to time. Best wishes.

Well said Chris....I think we all feel the same.

(Just butting in from sunny Brisbane....a balmy 21C )

Oh Silverfern you are in the Land of the Kangaroo and Koala

Good on you holidaying when its a tad cooler at Home...


Enjoy..OOPS off the subject again !!!


Cheers Kai