20494 (2026). Debbie Ngarewa-Packer to the Prime Minister

20494 (2026). Debbie Ngarewa-Packer to the Prime Minister: Will the Government support an independent inquiry into political donations linked to fast-track approvals, if not, why not?

Rt Hon Christopher Luxon: There is a well-established process for managing Ministerial conflicts of interest, including in the Fast-track Approvals process. The Audit Office completed an inquiry into this topic in June 2025, available here: https://ao.parliament.nz/2025/fast-track-conflicts/summary.htm. The Cabinet Office, on my behalf, supports Ministers in identifying and managing conflicts of interest that may arise in relation to their portfolios. The details regarding conflicts of interest are not generally disclosed. This has been the approach of successive administrations because it is in the public interest that the Cabinet Office can obtain and assess information about conflicts of interest and provide advice to Ministers on how to resolve them on a confidential basis. Generally, donations to an individual Minister’s election campaign are considered and managed in accordance with the Cabinet Manual guidance on pecuniary interests. Donations to political parties are not generally treated as resulting in a pecuniary conflict of interest for individual Ministers belonging to the party. The Cabinet Manual provides clear guidance that Ministers should take care to avoid creating a perception that representatives or lobbyists from any one organisation or group enjoy an unfair advantage with the government. The Cabinet Office proactively releases some details of conflicts of interest, where the management action has resulted in a transfer of responsibility or a standing arrangement not to receive papers (including in the context of Fast-track Approvals Act). This is available at: https://www.dpmc.govt.nz. Hon Chris Bishop also released some information about the management of conflicts of interest in relation to the Fast-Track Approvals Act, at: https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/government-releases-more-fast-track-detail. I received advice from officials in the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet regarding the Fast-track Approvals Act 2024. Further detail on the fast-track approvals process itself can be found at: https://environment.govt.nz/acts-and-regulations/acts/fast-track-approvals/fast-track-approvals-process/.