The New Zealand coalition government, a Frankenstein’s monster of National, ACT, and NZ First, has once again shown its utter contempt for our democracy. This time it's the Ministry for Regulation, who didn’t even bother to read thousands of submissions on the Regulatory Standards Bill, a piece of legislation so insidious it’s been dubbed a “backdoor rewrite” of New Zealand’s founding document. This follows hot on the heels of the coalition of chaos’ dismissal of overwhelming public opposition to ACT’s Treaty Principles Bill. It’s a pattern of arrogance so profound that it's eroding the very foundations of our democratic process.
Let’s start with the Regulatory Standards Bill. Newsroom reports that of the 23,000 submissions received, a staggering number were left unread by the Ministry, with ACT’s David Seymour shrugging off the 99.67% opposition as “off-topic.” This isn’t just negligence; it’s a deliberate middle finger to the voting public. These submissions weren’t spam...they were the voices of everyday New Zealanders, including 114 submissions from iwi/hapū, raising serious concerns about the bill’s failure to uphold Te Tiriti obligations.
The Waitangi Tribunal called for an immediate halt, citing breaches of Treaty principles, but Seymour dismissed them as a “parallel government.” This is the same playbook used with the Treaty Principles Bill, where the Justice Select Committee admitted 97% of submissions opposed it, yet the coalition plowed ahead, reopening submissions to dilute the backlash after their undemocratic tactics were revealed. It’s a cynical ploy to wear down dissent while pretending to listen.
Today, Newsroom reported:
David Seymour said ‘there just weren’t that many’ worthwhile ideas in the 23,000 submissions on his proposed legislation
The majority of the 22,821 submissions on last year's consultation on a potential Regulatory Standards Bill weren't even read by the Ministry for Regulation before proposals on next steps were taken to Cabinet.
The article by Marc Daalder is not accessible to the general public, raising the question: Are our mainstream media outlets truly committed to informing voters about the government’s undemocratic decision-making?
Unfortunately this type of fascist move isn’t an isolated incident either...it’s a feature of this coalition’s arrogant and out of touch governance. Take the Pay Equity Amendment Bill, rammed through under urgency in a mere 48 hours with no select committee, no public submissions, and no consultation with the Ministry of Women’s Affairs. Thirty-three claims affecting thousands of workers were scrapped overnight, disproportionately harming low-paid women. The secrecy and speed reek of a government terrified of scrutiny, and the Prime Minister’s accusations of “scaremongering” only underline their disdain for accountability.
Then there’s the Fast-track legislation, a love letter to extractive industries that sidelines environmental protections and public input. Māori rights group Toitū te Tiriti warned that the Regulatory Standards Bill could wipe Treaty clauses from law, yet the coalition presses on, undeterred by 18,000 signatures and a huge hīkoi protesting similar anti-Treaty moves. Even coalition partner Winston Peters, sensing the weight of public opinion, has raised concerns. But don’t hold your breath for National to rein in ACT’s neoliberal over-reach. They are waiting to see if they can undermine our democracy and get away with it.
This coalition of chaos treats public opinion like an inconvenience. They cherry-pick submissions, bypass due process, and govern by ambush, all while cloaking their insidious actions in a veil of culture wars and dishonest rhetoric about “transparency” and “economic efficiency.” Seymour’s claim that the Regulatory Standards Bill will “cut red tape” is a thinly veiled excuse to entrench ACT’s ideology at the expense of Māori rights and public input.
New Zealand deserves better than a government that listens only to its own echo chamber. It’s time to call this what it is: a betrayal of democracy. We must continue to resist, organise, and demand accountability before this coalition of chaos dismantles everything we hold dear.
