Vested interests and the power of lobbying in NZ

Lobbying is a legitimate part of government - giving industries, businesses and community groups a voice in the corridors of power.

But when access, influence and political connections come into play, where does advocacy end and undue influence begin?

"New Zealand has been very, very complacent about the way that vested interests can use lobbying to distort public decision-making," says Max Rashbrooke, adjunct senior research fellow in the School of Government at Te Herenga Waka - Victoria University of Wellington.

"We're all supposed to have an equal opportunity to influence the decisions that politicians make. At the moment, what our research suggests is that we're a very long way away from that situation."