Stuff reports that former Minister Kris Faafoi has become a lobbyist, planning to distort policy for profit by leveraging the relationships formed as a Minister with public servants and Ministerial colleagues. And in case anyone thinks I'm exaggerating there, its in his slogan: "results through relationships".
This is, obviously, corrupt. Policy and regulatory decisions should be made on their merits, not on who you are mates with. But New Zealand is cursed by cosyism, and apparently a Ministerial pension isn't enough to support Faafoi in the lifestyle to which he has become accustomed, so Faafoi is following the well-trodden path. But that's no reason for us to put up with it. Even corrupt Australia bans Ministers from lobbying work for 18 months; Canada bans them for five years. We should do the same. Ministers are already more than well-remunerated for their public service. We should not allow them to continue to corruptly profit from their public roles as some sort of "retirement package".
