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Former NZ First MP Fletcher Tabuteau is now a lobbyist for the firm Capital as his old party prepares to enter government with National and Act.
In a press release today, Tabuteau was confirmed as a new director with the firm as it changes ahead of the new government forming.
Tabuteau, a former deputy leader of NZ First between 2017-2020, has been seen at several meetings of the party’s caucus as it progresses negotiations with National following October 14.
Capital’s website said Tabuteau was integral to negotiations in 2017 between NZ First and Labour, and helped the coalition “operate effectively” over the three-year term.
While he was not on the party’s list this year, Tabuteau did attend last year’s party convention and co-emceedits 30th birthday in Auckland this year.
Former MPs Jenny Marcroft (left), Fletcher Tabuteau, Darroch Ball and party secretary Holly Howard discuss remits at the NZ First party conference last year. Photo / Adam Pearse
Tabuteau had “advised businesses in market development” since leaving Parliament in 2020, according to the release.
Speaking to the Herald, Tabuteau said talks between him and Capital representatives began in the last couple of weeks.
His history within NZ First had been a “significant” reason why he’d been hired, Tabuteau accepted.
“Yeah, it was pretty critical but I would add that this job isn’t just about who you know, it’s about good advice and making sure your clients actually know what the system is about and what good advocacy looks like.
“But I will point out that I’ve got a lot of, I’ll say friends and colleagues, former colleagues, in the National Party as well.”
While he’d had a broad range of responsibilities when in Parliament, Tabuteau suspected he would primarily focus on matters relating to energy and infrastructure.
In the meantime, Tabuteau confirmed he’d been helping train NZ First’s new MPs to make sure they were ready when the next government was formed.
“You’ve got some of the most experienced players, politicians, in the New Zealand Parliament coming into this formation of government, New Zealand First is going to hit the ground running.”
Winston Peters and Fletcher Tabuteau campaigning in Rotorua in 2011. Photo / NZME
Another new hire for Capital was former National Party communications staffer Aimie Hines, who joined the firm as a senior consultant.
She had previously worked as communications manager for the party and a media adviser to National MP Mark Mitchell, who has been widely tipped to become the next Police Minister.
Hines had most recently been employed by Retail NZ as a public affairs and policy manager.
Current Capital director Ben Thomas, a former National press secretary and Act campaign adviser, had been responsible for “opposition relations” but would now lead the firm’s government relations work.
Firm director and former Labour chief of staff, Neale Jones, would shift to “PR, opposition engagement and business development”.
Clint Smith, a former policy and communications adviser to Jacinda Ardern, had left Capital for his own lobbying firm, Victor Strategy and Communications.
In April, the Labour Government looked at ways to make the lobbying industry more transparent following a RNZ investigation which highlighted the extraordinary access lobbyists had to ministers and officials.
It also came amid revelations former Labour Minister Stuart Nash leaked confidential Cabinet information to donors, adding to the need to address the issue.
In April, PM Chris Hipkins made changes to make the lobbying industry more transparent. Photo / Mark Mitchell
Outgoing Prime Minister Chris Hipkins in April commissioned work to assess policy options to regulate lobbying. Advice on that work was expected to come back next year.
The Cabinet Manual was refreshed to clarify ministers should not be “influenced by the prospect or expectation of future employment with a particular organisation or sector”.
He also requested the Speaker of the House remove swipe cards from lobbyists and called on firms to develop a voluntary code of conduct that would ideally demand they publish client lists.
Last year, National’s Simeon Brown advocated for a “cool-down” period to apply to ministers who leave politics and seek to join lobbying firms.
It came after former Cabinet Minister Kris Faafoi left Parliament in June of that year and launched a new public relations and lobbying firm in October.
Australia makes its former decision-makers wait 18 months before they can start lobbying, while Canada has a five-year rule.
National’s Christopher Luxon, speaking as Opposition leader in March, said cool-down periods were worth exploring.
Tabuteau told the Herald he was “sympathetic” to the idea of a cool-down period, saying it was a “reasonable expectation”.
Adam Pearse is a political reporter in the NZ Herald Press Gallery team, based at Parliament. He has worked for NZME since 2018, covering sport and health for the Northern Advocate in Whangārei before moving to the NZ Herald in Auckland, covering Covid-19 and crime.
