One of the many problems with National's corrupt Muldoonist fast-track law is that the entire process is designed to cut the public out of decision-making and prevent us from having a say. The bill was rammed through its first reading under urgency, its time for submissions was ludicrously short given its complexity, and we won't even get to see the list of projects the government wants fast-track until the committee-stage - by which time there is nothing we can legally do to oppose them. And when the list of those invited to apply is a who's who of New Zealand's dodgiest companies, some of which are run by government donors or relatives, that simply fails the political hygiene test.
The Official Information Act is meant to be a solution to this. And someone has in fact asked for the list of projects. But surprise, surprise, the government is refusing to release it. Their reasoning however is a little weird:
Bishop’s response went on to explain that because decisions on the bill are yet to be made, “releasing the list of applicants at this time would impact the orderly and effective conduct of executive government”, and “result in extensive lobbying, even campaigning, both for and against applications ahead of Cabinet consideration”. Bishop explicitly feared “attempts would be made to influence Cabinet Ministers”.The problem here is that there is already "extensive lobbying". its just that its been done by corrupt companies desperate to have their projects fast-tracked (sometimes in secret dinners with corrupt Ministers). But Bishop doesn't have a problem with that. Instead, what he's worried about is "lobbying" by the public. Or, as it is normally called, public participation in government. Promoting that is one of the purposes of the OIA, not to mention an obligation of the public service. By shutting us out and cloaking its dirty dealings under a veil of secrecy, National is simply enabling its own corruption. And we should regard it and its law as permanently tainted by this.
