First, we had pokie trusts lobbying against the Gambling (Gambling Harm Reduction) Amendment Bill, in violation of their charitable purpose. Now, they're pressuring grant recipients to do the same:
Pokie trusts are pressuring grant recipients to make submissions against MP Te Ururoa Flavell's reform bill, telling them if the legislation passes they risk funding cuts.This is a gross abuse of power, made all the more odious because what's at stake isn't whether these groups get money, but who gets the salary, expense account and kickbacks for doling it out. And here, we have supposedly "charitable" trusts fighting tooth and nail to protect their entirely parasitic place on the food chain. Which sounds like a damn good reason to get rid of them entirely, and give the job to local authorities.[...]
Letters from several trusts to grant recipients, including sport and community groups, ask them to make submissions against the bill before a June 21 deadline. Some provide pre-written letters for the groups to sign.
One grant recipient said the trust involved had phoned "pressuring us to send in our submission". "It does beg the question, are we jeopardising future consideration by not supporting them?"