🎧 Coherent podcast with Melanie Nelson
Green Party Co-leader Chloe Swarbrick joins Melanie to dissect the Regulatory Standards Bill — a proposal she describes as a “neoliberal sausage machine” for laws and a direct threat to democracy, climate action, and public wellbeing. In this wide-ranging conversation, Chloe reflects on what the Bill signals about the direction of our politics and who benefits when corporate interests are prioritised over collective good.
She breaks down why the Greens are strongly opposed to the Bill, the risks it poses for renters, workers, the environment and tangata whenua, and how it seeks to entrench an ideology that could tie the hands of future governments. From the Board’s unelected power to the sidelining of te Tiriti, Chloe discusses how the Bill fits into a wider cultural project to reshape what New Zealanders value — and who gets a say in the country’s future.
We cover:
Why the Bill's retrospective powers are “so fundamentally dangerous”
The real-world implications for climate policy, rent controls, workplace rights, and community decision-making
How the Green Party is fighting back — and why every submission counts
Links between the removal of te Tiriti references and corporate agendas
The risk of replacing democracy with a technocratic, property-first model
This is a bold and energising conversation for anyone concerned about inequality, climate justice, or the direction of our democracy.
Watch the video podcast above. Or listen to the audio here on Substack, or on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and other platforms (once uploaded).
Resources:
Sector Specific RSB Tool we mentioned: https://tinyurl.com/RSBTool
Linktree with a wide range of historic and contemporary information on the RSB, including submission guides and builders.
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