PMO staffer identified in climate lobbying allegation
Wednesday, 27 May 2026
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s chief policy adviser was the staffer who received hand-delivered corporate briefing notes at the centre of a climate litigation lobbying dispute.
Matt Burgess served as Luxon’s chief policy adviser from January 2024 until late last year. He was the National Party’s chief policy adviser from January 2022.
Before that, as a senior economist at the New Zealand Initiative think tank, he specialised in climate change and energy issues and worked for then-Finance Minister Bill English.
The Post has learned Burgess was the official who received briefing material - which was printed out and hand-delivered - from Fonterra and Z Energy in mid-2024.
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The Post learned Burgess’ identity through political sources independent of the case.
Luxon’s office has said it has “no record” of the meetings or briefing note in question.
Asked to comment on Wednesday, Burgess said: “I have nothing to add.”
The Post revealed on Sunday that a briefing document that contained a specific, two-sentence proposed amendment to the country's climate laws was not included in Official Information Act responses and only surfaced through High Court disclosure.
Two years later, the Government announced it was advancing legislation that closely mirrors that exact corporate text.
The document was prepared on behalf of the defendants in Smith v Fonterra and Ors, a landmark case where climate change activist Mike Smith is suing several companies including the dairy giant, Z Energy, New Zealand Steel and Genesis Energy for climate damage.
But neither the briefing note nor details of the meetings were disclosed to the Environmental Law Initiative or Lawyers for Climate Action NZ who sought information from Luxon’s office in March 2025 about meetings, discussions or conversations regarding the case, and any proposed legislative or regulatory response.
The Ombudsman has launched an investigation into Luxon’s office over its handling of the Official Information Act requests.
Smith has also made a complaint to Chief Archivist Anahera Morehu about alleged breaches of public records laws.
He alleges the briefing material shows coordinated corporate engagement aimed at shaping legislative changes that would limit or prevent climate-related liability claims.
“This increasingly looks to me like a cover-up of secret lobbying between the Government and some of the country’s most powerful corporate interests,” Smith said.
“Ordinary New Zealanders do not get private access to the Prime Minister’s Office to discuss shutting down active court proceedings against them.”
Luxon’s office was contacted for comment.
Greens co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick has called for an urgent, independent inquiry.
At Question Time on Wednesday, Swarbrick pressed Luxon on when he first became aware of “secret meetings and documents” involving major emitters.
“Is it credible for the Prime Minister to not know that one of his most senior staff members was meeting with the largest company in the country who was actively lobbying for a law change in their favour?” she asked.
Luxon repeatedly refused to say.
He said: “As I've said, and I've addressed this issue in recent days, is that I don't think it's appropriate that I identify specific members of staff. All I said is the staff member left a while ago.” He said ministerial staff had been reminded of their obligations.
A point of order was also raised over the naming of senior staff roles.