Auckland, 13 September 2023 — It’s spring again. Politicians have emerged from hibernation and are auditioning for your vote. Don’t be persuaded by their dancing, duelling, pie-eating, tree-hugging, baby-kissing and glad-handing. Get real. Ask them some hard questions.

Don’t have any? MonopolyWatch NZ is here to help. We’ve compiled a list of 10 questions that will affect your wallet and your future more than any tax cut, spending promise or other lolly scramble. These are questions every politician should be prepared to answer.

1. If 83% of all Kiwis want the geographically monopolised supermarket cartel split up, why hasn’t that happened? Do you, personally, support this? If not, why not?
2. Have you opened a supermarket? Over forty politicians have. Are you, personally, happy to support a duopoly that’s getting fat profits by charging consumers excessively?
3. Why do you think New Zealand supermarkets, electricity companies, building materials suppliers, banks and fuel companies are so profitable? Is it (a) superb management or (b) weak competition law? If (b), what will you personally, do to (a) applaud or (b) change this?
4. Should there be a stand-down period before senior politicians can accept Board roles with companies in industries where they have inside information, fresh contacts and high-level influence? How long? Will you, personally, undertake not to accept, within 36 months of exiting parliament, a well-paid Board role in an area you have worked in while an MP?
5. Why do New Zealand banks charge higher interest rate margins on mortgages than those in other countries? What will you, personally, do about that?
6. Are you aware that Australian-owned banks earn proportionately more from their NZ subsidiaries than they do from their Australian ones? Why is that and what will you, personally, do about it?
7. Do you think we have a housing crisis? Why does it cost four times more to build an entry level first house in New Zealand than it does across the OECD? Is it (a) all the fault of the RMA (b) the high cost of imported materials (c) weak competition law (d) poor productivity, no standardisation and scale? What will you, personally, undertake to do to reduce the cost of building houses?
8. Do you think we have a cost-of-living crisis? If we can fix telecommunications, why can’t we fix banking, building, grocery, fuel, power and other essentials that add to the cost of living?
9. Why do we not have good independent consumer advocacy at anything other than a product labelling and promotional level? What will you, personally, do to achieve a meaningful reduction in the cost of living and better protect consumers?
10. Do you think the Commerce Commission is doing a good job or protecting consumers? What significant achievements by the Commission can you point to that have taken effect while you have been a politician?

Finally, a bonus question:

1. The posturing, jockeying and uncertainty that precedes an election effectively reduces a three-year parliamentary term to two and a bit years. What is your position? (a) Put up with the inefficiency every three years because it means we get to turn over governments more rapidly; (b) Adopt a four-year term to give incoming governments a chance to get things done; (c) Have a five-year term and say “No” to electoral whiplash.

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