Coherent

• #17: Sir Geoffrey Palmer on the RSB: Unworkable, Unconstitutional, Unacceptable

  Why the Regulatory Standards Bill would paralyse Parliament, empower unelected overseers, and unravel democratic lawmaking in New ZealandIn this episode of Coherent, Melanie Nelson speaks with former Prime Minister and constitutional law expert Sir Geoffrey Palmer about the Regulatory Standards Bill — which he describes as one of the most dangerous and constitutionally incoherent pieces of legislation he’s encountered in his long career.Sir Geoffrey warns that the Bill would install an unelected oversight board with sweeping powers, reduce ministers to bystanders in their own portfolios, and introduce regulatory principles that are legally unenforceable but politically weaponised. He argues the Bill would produce “regulatory chaos,” subvert ministerial responsibility, and undermine the principle that elected representatives — not economists — are responsible for making law.We cover:Why Clause 24 creates a legal fiction that bypasses the courtsHow the Bill concentrates power in a “super-minister” while silencing other ministersThe risks to public safety and the environment from an ideologically tilted “property rights” regimeWhat’s missing from the Bill’s design — including any reference to the Regulations Review CommitteeHow the Bill reflects a global trend toward authoritarian capitalism — and why it must be stoppedPalmer makes the case that the RSB is not just a policy error, but a democratic and constitutional crisis in the making. His call is clear: submit, speak up, and stop this Bill while we still can.Resources: Sector Specific RSB Tool: https://tinyurl.com/RSBToolLinktree with a wide range of historic and contemporary information on the RSB, including submission guides and builders.Subscribe for more 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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• #16: Dame Anne Salmond: Democracy at Risk — The RSB and the Fight for Our Future

  Video episode available on my Substack.    In this powerful and far-reaching conversation, Dame Anne Salmond joins Melanie to confront the deeper ideological project behind the Regulatory Standards Bill. With clarity, compassion and a lifetime of scholarly insight, Anne warns that the Bill isn’t just about regulation — it’s a blueprint for hollowing out democracy, elevating corporate interests, and tying government into a narrow ideological approach.Together, they explore:How the RSB advances a global libertarian agenda hostile to public goodThe Bill’s undermining of collective rights, te Tiriti, and environmental protectionsThe risks of concentrating oversight power in a single Minister’s handsWhy the ‘double speak’ of “freedom and democracy” masks a corporate agendaThe erosion of due process, evidence-based policymaking, and civil political discourseAnne also issues a clear warning about the danger of small parties imposing fringe philosophies through opaque coalition deals. And she closes with a hopeful call to return to our shared values — grounded in whakapapa, manaakitanga, community, and a fair go — to imagine a democracy worth defending.Resources: Sector Specific RSB Tool: https://tinyurl.com/RSBToolLinktree with a wide range of historic and contemporary information on the RSB, including submission guides and builders.Subscribe for more 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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• #14: Economist Paul Dalziel: RSB Flawed Principles, No Standards

  Video episode available on my Substack.  Economist and Wellbeing Economy Alliance Aotearoa research fellow Paul Dalziel joins Melanie on Coherent to analyse the Regulatory Standards Bill — and explain why it’s deeply misaligned with the values and aspirations of most New Zealanders.While the Bill presents itself as a tool for improving transparency and regulatory quality, Paul argues it is not fit for purpose. Drawing on his submission and decades of economic expertise, he unpacks the critical distinction between genuine regulatory standards and the vague principles laid out in the Bill — none of which set enforceable minimums or require compliance. He also reveals how the Government’s own analysis identifies no measurable benefits, despite a projected cost of $20 million per year.Paul warns that the Bill privileges individual liberties and property rights above all else, distorting democratic decision-making and sidelining long-standing public interest values such as fairness, nature, dignity, and participation. The omission of future generations and te Tiriti o Waitangi from the Bill’s framework is especially troubling — as is its potential to inhibit necessary reforms through subtle pressure and fear of oversight.This wide-ranging conversation covers:The difference between principles and enforceable standards — and why that mattersWhat the Public Finance Act includes that the RSB leaves outReal-world examples of proportionate regulation in the public good, from clean air in Christchurch to charitable lawThe risk of regulatory chill and the weakening of public service cultureWhy omitting tino rangatiratanga from compensation clauses undermines justice for MāoriA vision for a wellbeing-centred regulatory system based on international models like Wales’ Future Generations ActEssential listening for anyone invested in democratic accountability, equity, and the role of government in creating a fair society.Resources: Sector Specific RSB Tool: https://tinyurl.com/RSBToolLinktree with a wide range of historic and contemporary information on the RSB, including submission guides and builders.Subscribe for more 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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• #15: Dr Rebekah Graham: The RSB, Disability, and the Politics of Exclusion

  Video episode available on my Substack.   In this wide-ranging and deeply grounded conversation, I speak with Dr Rebekah Graham — community psychologist, writer, and advocate for disability rights — about the hidden but sweeping risks the Regulatory Standards Bill (RSB) poses for disabled communities, and for the future of equity and inclusion in New Zealand.Dr Graham draws on her work with Parents of Vision Impaired and her long-standing research on material hardship and food insecurity to expose how the RSB could entrench colonial ableism and make basic accessibility measures harder to introduce — or defend. From signalised pedestrian crossings to braille on medication, from inclusive education to accessible banking and housing, she explains how the Bill’s libertarian principles would undermine everyday rights and protections, while entrenching systemic disparities.We discuss:How the RSB’s emphasis on property rights, cost-efficiency, and formal equality contradicts both the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) and the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP)The chilling effect the Bill could have on accessibility legislation, including universal design, equitable resourcing in schools, and inclusive infrastructureHow charter schools, under the RSB, could become inaccessible and unaccountable — while being harder to reverseThe risks of shifting from collectivist, whānau-centred approaches to a narrow, individualised model of rights and valueThe real-world consequences of colonial ableism, and why disabled children and their families are already navigating structural exclusionDr Graham also explains why this Bill is not a dry, technical fix — but a sweeping constitutional move that threatens to redefine what “good lawmaking” means in New Zealand. And she makes a powerful call to action: for people to contact their MPs, especially in National and New Zealand First, to reject the RSB and protect the social good.Follow Dr Bex on Substack for more of her insightful analysis of social issues in Aotearoa.Resources: Sector Specific RSB Tool: https://tinyurl.com/RSBToolLinktree with a wide range of historic and contemporary information on the RSB, including submission guides and builders.Subscribe for more 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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• #13: Dr Carwyn Jones on the RSB: Constitutional Reversal and the Rise of Anti-Treaty Lawmaking

  Video episode available on my Substack.    What does it mean when a government proposes to put most law through a libertarian filter? In this episode of Coherent, I speak with Dr Carwyn Jones, legal scholar and expert in te Tiriti o Waitangi, about the Regulatory Standards Bill — a proposal that’s quietly but profoundly reshaping the legal foundations of New Zealand.We explore how the Bill elevates a narrow set of private property and individual liberty principles at the expense of te Tiriti, environmental protections, and the wider public good. Carwyn shares why he sees the RSB as a major constitutional shift — one that replaces the values embedded in our legislative guidelines with a rigid ideological straitjacket.We discuss:How the RSB’s “principles” conflict with te Tiriti and the New Zealand Bill of Rights ActThe risk of regulatory takings and the expectation of compensation for companies restricted from polluting or profitingWhy the proposed Regulatory Standards Board may operate like a Waitangi Tribunal for libertarians — with more powersHow the Bill pressures governments to conform and creates a chilling effect on public interest lawmakingWhat a Te Tiriti-honouring approach to regulation could look like — and how we can support itCarwyn brings clarity, depth, and a call to action. With the submission deadline looming, this is a must-listen for anyone concerned about the future of our laws, our rights, and our democracy.Resources: Sector Specific RSB Tool: https://tinyurl.com/RSBToolLinktree with a wide range of historic and contemporary information on the RSB, including submission guides and builders.Subscribe for more 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.You can also buy me a coffee! 

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