#11: Democracy or Oligarchy? Chloe Swarbrick on the Regulatory Standards Bill

Video episode available on my Substack.  

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.

Resources: 

Sector Specific RSB Tool: 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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This is part of a series of in-depth conversations with experts across sectors on the real-world impacts of the Regulatory Standards Bill. If you value independent political analysis, subscribe to my Substack for more interviews, writing, and updates. Free subscribers get regular content. Paid subscriptions really help keep this work going.

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