2005 New Zealand election funding controversy

The 2005 New Zealand election funding controversy occurred in the aftermath of the 2005 New Zealand general election.

Under New Zealand's political system, parties may only spend, during the 90 days before the election, up to a certain amount on campaigning (excluding broadcasting). They must raise the money, up to that limit, from their own sources. cite web | title = Election expenses and returns | publisher = Elections New Zealand | date = | 2005-08| url = http://www.elections.org.nz/elections/e5_party_return_expenses.html | accessdate = 2006-10-25] Other funds are available through The Parliamentary Service to Members of Parliament for "parliamentary purposes", which may include advertising but not "electioneering material". cite web | last = Brady | first = Kevin | title = Advertising expenditure incurred by the Parliamentary Service in the three months before the 2005 General Election| publisher = Office of the Auditor General | format = pdf | date = 2006-10-12 | url= http://www.parliament.nz/NR/rdonlyres/E984B1D8-AEF3-49F0-A45B-B526CF2B7101/41876/DBHOH_PAP_14263_3664.pdf | accessdate = 2006-10-18] Following the 2005 election, there was widespread debate as most parties had breached either election or parliamentary spending rules in some respect.

Election spending allegations

Labour

Labour and five other political parties were investigated for alleged breaches of election spending rules relating to the 2005 election. The Electoral Commission, the independent body charged with supervising compliance with campaign rules, referred the Labour Party to the police after finding that they had overspent by over $400,000. cite press release | title = Election expenses - Labour referred to police & parties slammed for lateness | publisher = Elections New Zealand | date = 2006-02-09 | url = http://www.elections.org.nz/news/ec-media-labour-lateness-090206.html] Labour's election campaign included the production, using Parliamentary Service funds, of a "pledge card" (pictured). The party had wanted to exclude the $446,000 it spent on the pledge cards from its campaign expenses, but the Electoral Commission ruled the pledge cards should be included. cite news | last = Thomson | first = Ainsley | title = Labour escapes charges on pledge card but case found | publisher = New Zealand Herald | date = 2006-03-18 | url = http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=1&ObjectID=10373214 | accessdate = 2006-10-18] The police found that "there was insufficient evidence to indicate that an offence under s214b of the Electoral Act had been committed." cite press release | title = No prosecutions for electoral complaints | publisher = New Zealand Police | date = 2006-03-17 | url = http://www.police.govt.nz/news/release.html?id=2345 | accessdate = 2006-10-18] While police considered "there was sufficient evidence to establish a prima facie case" of an offence under section 221 of the act (which requires a party secretary to authorise party advertising in writing), they decided not to lay a prosecution, preferring instead to warn Labour that similar future offences would risk prosecution, because it was not clear that the offence was intentional. They said a number of other parties had also used similar tactics and it would have been unfair to single Labour out.

National

National was left owing a number of broadcasters $112,500 after spending its broadcasting allowance without accounting for GST. National argued that "due to a misunderstanding between the Party and its advertising booking agency, the agency booked advertising for National on radio and television for the campaign totalling $900,000 excluding GST, instead of $900,000 including GST".cite web | url=http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0601/S00049.htm |title=National Pushes Limits Of Campaign Spending | accessdate=2006-09-28] Police were not able to attribute responsibility for the mistaken GST over-expenditure to either the NZ National Party or to the Party's media buying agency and did not charge either. Labour has criticised the use by the National Party of trust funds to facilitate large anonymous donations, alleging American multi-millionaire Julian Robertson as a contributor. Julian Robertson, a friend of Don Brash, had connections to the Republican Party in the US. However, National Party campaign manager Steven Joyce stated, "It is possible that [Mr Robertson] made an anonymous donation. It is also possible that he may have given to one of the trusts that periodically makes donations to us but again I have no knowledge of that. They don't tell me who gives the money so I don't know.” cite news | last = List | first = Kevin | title = Mallard Attacks National's Use Of Trust Funds | publisher = Scoop |date = 2005-07-23 | url = http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0507/S00308.htm | accessdate = 2006-10-18] Spending outside of campaign funding limits is permitted up to three months before election date. cite web | title = Election expenses and returns | publisher = Elections New Zealand | date = | 2005-08| url = http://www.elections.org.nz/elections/e5_party_return_expenses.html#gen3 | accessdate = 2006-10-25]

Labour also criticised National leader Don Brash's use of the parliamentary leader's fund (also supplied through Parliamentary Services) to pay for his advisor, Bryan Sinclair, alleging he was an election strategist. cite news|url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,3834764a6160,00.html|title=Brash under fire for aide's pay|accessdate=2006-10-21 cite news|url=http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0610/S00412.htm|title=Brash's predictable fall from moral high ground|accessdate=2006-10-21]

Auditor-General report

The Auditor-General investigated publicly funded party advertising for the 2005 election, with a preliminary finding that much of the spending was unlawful being leaked. A final report was released on 12 October 2006. cite web | last = Brady | first = Kevin | title = Advertising expenditure incurred by the Parliamentary Service in the three months before the 2005 General Election| publisher = Office of the Auditor General | format = pdf | date = 2006-10-12 | url= http://www.parliament.nz/NR/rdonlyres/E984B1D8-AEF3-49F0-A45B-B526CF2B7101/41876/DBHOH_PAP_14263_3664.pdf | accessdate = 2006-10-18] It found that $1.17 million had been improperly spent, as follows:
* Labour Party: $768,000
* New Zealand First $150,400
* Green Party $80,900
* United Future $63,800
* Act $17,800
* National Party $11,300
* Maori Party $48

After a draft of the Auditor-General's report was leaked, the National Party repaid the amount that the report said was spent by it unlawfully. Labour strategist Pete Hodgson said on 13 September 2006 that his party would not be repaying any money, and the Government may introduce legislation to legalise the spending. cite news | last = Oliver | first = Paula | title = We'll pay it back, pledge Greens | publisher = New Zealand Herald | date = 2006-09-21 | url = http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=1&ObjectID=10402287 | accessdate = 2006-11-01]

The Speaker, who has responsibility for the Parliamentary Service, sought a legal opinion in response to the Auditor General's report. cite press release | title = Speaker responds to Auditor General | publisher = Office of the Speaker | date = 2006-10-13 | url = http://www.parliament.govt.nz/en-NZ/Admin/Speaker/PressReleases/9/5/a/95ad213d0c94486a83cd87979b107883.htm | accessdate = 2006-10-25] While she did not agree with the legal analysis of the Auditor General, the Speaker of the House, Margaret Wilson, recommended that legislation be passed to retrospectively validate expenditure, that parties should pay back their overspending not as a legal obligation but in order to maintain the confidence of the public, the administrative processes of Parliamentary Services should be reviewed, and legislation be developed to clarify the law on expenditure.

The Labour Party announced immediately after the report was published that it would repay the money it owes. cite news | title = Labour to pay back election spending | publisher = New Zealand Herald | date = 2006-10-12 | url = http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=1&ObjectID=10405610 | accessdate = 2006-10-18] Helen Clark said "Labour strongly maintains that it spent its parliamentary budget within the rules as they were understood at the time, and in the same way as other parties have over a long period of time. Given the Auditor-General’s new ruling, however, Labour will refund the spending identified". cite press release | title = Labour to refund funding | publisher = New Zealand Labour Party | date = 2006-10-12 | url = http://www.labour.org.nz/news/latest_labour_news/news-061012/index.html | accessdate = 2006-10-18]

Minor parties

The Progressive Party was the only party found by the Auditor General not to have misspent parliamentary funding. Most other minor parties have either already repaid their misspent funding or agreed that they would do so. When the Auditor General's report was leaked, the Green Party promised to repay any money it was found to have spent unlawfully once the final report is released (an estimated $65,000) and the Maori Party repaid $53. New Zealand First, however, has not yet decided what action to take.cite news|url=http://www.nbr.co.nz/home/column_article.asp?id=16481&cid=15&cname=Politics|title=Parliament Passes Law Validating Election Misspend|accessdate=2006-10-21]

The Maori Party stated in September 2006 that during the election campaign, an anonymous donor offered them $250,000 on the condition that they backed a Labour-led government after the election. The offer was not accepted. Labour denied any knowledge of the offer, and both Labour and National suggested holding an inquiry into the offer. A spokesman for the Electoral Commission said the offer did not break any provisions of the Electoral Act, but Auckland University law professor Bill Hodge considered that it may fall within the Crimes Act definition of bribery and corruption.cite news | title = Maori Party don't know who offered $250,000 | publisher = NZPA | date = 2006-09-29 | url = http://subs.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10403602 | accessdate = 2006-10-31]

Third party campaigning

Shortly before the 2005 election, anti-Labour and anti-Greens pamphlets were distributed to a large number of New Zealand mailboxes. Unlike party advertising, the pamphlets' origins were not made explicit. In particular they criticised Green party policy, claiming that the Greens' policies were “reminiscent…of communists” and the Greens planned to "disarm our forces",cite web | url=http://www.greens.org.nz/searchdocs/other9194.html | title=Dirty tricks campaign: point-by-point rebuttal | accessdate=2006-10-14] terms which the Greens considered to be outright lies - inflammatory and misleading, as was much of the content of the pamphlet. Immediately after the election, the Greens stated that the “... pamphlet drop probably cost the party a seat”, and perhaps enough to have governed alone with Labour. cite news | title = Greens welcome Brethren inquiry | publisher = Newstalk ZB | date = 2005-10-05 | url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/event/story.cfm?c_id=1500891&objectid=10352080 | accessdate=2006-10-21]

The pamphlets were released with minimal information as to who had funded them, with only the names and PO Box addresses of individuals. Former members of the Exclusive Brethren Church recognised those names and informed the Green Party and the media of their links with the Brethren Church, which had been involved in a similar campaign in Australia. The National party and its leader Don Brash initially denied knowing about the pamphlets, but Brash later admitted that he had met with the Brethren three or four times during the campaign, where he was told "they planned to run some advertisements in the media, particularly around defence and health policies". Brash asserts that he and his staff advised the Brethren to check the legality of their advertising and that National had no control over its content. Brash also says that he did not recall their intention to issue anti-Green pamphlets. [cite news | last = Brash | first = Don | title=Don Brash Writes: Nicky Hager's book | publisher = | date = 6 December 2006 | url=http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0612/S00108.htm | accessdate=2006-12-08] Brash and other National supporters have noted that unions have funded third party advertising in support of Labour, and argued that the Brethren pamphlets were equivalent. Labour Party strategist Pete Hodgson responded that advertising paid for by unions was declared within Labour's budget and explicit about who had funded and approved it. cite press release | last = Hodgson | first = Pete | title = Brash lies continue | publisher = New Zealand Labour Party | url = http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0609/S00090.htm | date = 2006-09-05 | accessdate = 2006-12-21]

University of Otago electoral law expert Andrew Geddis opinion was that National probably did not break the law, but that the party's actions "stank" and that the electoral system was like "panel beaters designing intersections". In addition to the pamphlets, the Brethren assisted the National Party through help with man-power, rather than direct donations. The group had collected a "war-chest" of $1,200,000, though there is no evidence they spent anywhere near this much during the election campaign. cite web | url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,3807544a11,00.html | title=Brethren cost Nats win - Rich | accessdate=2006-09-24] . The Exclusive Brethren Church members had originally intended to openly support National but modified the pamphlets to an invitation to "Change the Government" after consulting with the Chief Electoral Officer and being informed that otherwise this would count towards National's spending. The issue of Exclusive Brethren involvement has led to Labour calls for compulsory disclosure of large donations to political parties within altered campaign finance legislation.cite news | last = Young | first = Audrey | title=Clark plans new law to block Brethren | publisher = New Zealand Herald | date = 2006-09-12 | url=http://subs.nzherald.co.nz/topic/story.cfm?c_id=221&objectid=10400873 | accessdate=2006-10-13]

Nicky Hager felt there were clear distinctions on the legal advertisings of the Unions and what he what he alleged as obvious violations of the election act section 221 by not only the Exclusive Brethren with full knowledge of members of the National party ("" p238), but also third party spending by several other groups including the Horse Racing Lobby. Hager adds rhetorically, “Why was this not picked up by Auditor-General Kevin Brady…? ("The Hollow Men: A Study in the Politics of Deception" p240)

Darnton's lawsuit

On 29 June 2006, Bernard Darnton, leader of the Libertarianz, sued Helen Clark for allegedly misappropriating public funds to pay for her "pledge cards" during the 2005 election. Some commentators have labelled the lawsuit a stunt, although it has received some media coverage as concern about the "pledge card" funding has grown. The Auditor-General and Solictor-General both stated, in the Auditor-General's report to Parliament, their opinion that the pledge card expenditure was a breach of the Public Finance Act. cite news | last = Chapple | first = Irene | title = Top QC takes PM to court | publisher = Sunday Star Times | date = 2006-09-10 | url = http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/sundaystartimes/0,2106,3792193a6005,00.html | accessdate = 2006-10-25] . Following the passage of the Labour party's validating retrospective legislation on 18 October 2006, Darnton's lawsuit almost certainly becomes defunct. [Bernard Darnton, [http://www.libertarianz.org.nz/?libzpr=437 "Moral Victory for Darnton Over Pledge Card"] , Libertarianz party website, 17 October 2006.]

Accusations relating to earlier spending

The Labour government also allegedly used parliamentary funds to promote the Labour Party in the past. Before the 2005 campaign, public funds paid for bus billboards showing the Labour election phrase "You're better off with Labour" [ [http://www.act.org.nz/action/documents/labour_busads.pdf Letter to the Speaker of the House] ,Ken Shirley, 8 June 2005] . However the Speaker ruled that this advertising promoted the national budget, not the Labour Party.

Political response

Corruption claims

Based on the draft Auditor General's report, the National Party accused Labour of corruption, with Don Brash claiming that "Helen Clark's Labour Government is quite simply the most corrupt government in New Zealand history."cite press release | publisher = New Zealand National Party | title = Speech to Zonta Club, Christchurch | date = 2006-08-07 | url = http://www.national.org.nz/Article.aspx?ArticleID=7645 | accessdate = 2006-10-31] He later amended that to "most corrupt in the last 100 years". The claim was made on the basis of deliberate over-spending under the Electoral Act being a "corrupt practice". Parliamentary debate rapidly deteriorated into shouting matches, with minor parties threatening a walk-out. cite news | last = Dick | first = Tim | title = Sects, lies, displays of hate | publisher = Sydney Morning Herald | date = 2006-09-23 | url = http://www.smh.com.au/news/world/sects-lies-displays-of-hate/2006/09/22/1158431897988.html?page=fullpage#contentSwap2 | accessdate = 2006-10-31]

ACT New Zealand leader Rodney Hide disagreed with the term "corruption" being applied to the spending. "The AG's report doesn't show corruption. If it did National would be corrupt too. They were found to have misspent 10k. They would be corrupt too—just not as successful! I could see it was going to get ugly once the Nats went down the tactic of consistently labelling Labour corrupt… I disagree with everything that Labour does—but they are not corrupt. Devious and cunning, yes. Not corrupt." cite news | last = Ng | first = Keith | title = Blogwatch: Ng & Farrar Tag Team Hide & Norman | publisher = Scoop.co.nz | date = 2006-09-20 | url = http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0609/S00279.htm | format = HTML | accessdate = 2006-12-11]

leaze allegations

In response to National calling Labour "corrupt", Labour ministers Trevor Mallard and David Benson-Pope made reference during Question Time to allegations Don Brash was having an affair with Business Roundtable vice chairwomen Diane Foreman. Rumours to that effect had been circulating for some time, however the allegations were not published by the media until National MP Brian Connell raised them in caucus and the ensuing debate was leaked to the media. The "Independent Financial Review" first published the allegations.

"Investigate magazine" then published a photograph with commentary implying that Clark's husband Peter Davis was gay. Other mainstream media outlets quickly republished the rumour. cite news | last = van Beynen | first = Martin | title = Davis' trouble and strife | publisher = The Press | date= 2006-09-23 | url = http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,3806123a6160,00.html | accessdate = 2006-10-17 ] Clark and Davis emphatically denied the allegation. Campaigner Chuck Bird said he provided the photo to "Investigate" in protest against Labour's election spending. cite news | title = Man who released Davis images says election spending the reason | publisher = NZPA | date = 2006-09-24 | url =http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=1&ObjectID=10402703 | accessdate = 2006-10-17]

Soon after, and within a day of saying that personal abuse had no place in NZ politics, Clark described Don Brash, leader of the opposition, as a “cancerous” and “corrosive” presence in national affairs, cite news | last = Young | first = Audrey | title = Nothing personal, but Brash is cancerous, says Clark | publisher = New Zealand Herald| date = 2006-09-21 | url = http://subs.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=1&ObjectID=10402288 | accessdate = 2006-11-04] a statement for which she was later criticised. In an interview the following day she gave the example of a cartoon on the Young Nationals' website which had been there since before the election campaign, and indeed before Brash's leadership of the Party, depicting her as Star Wars villain Darth Vader telling Luke Skywalker she is his “lesbian father”. Brash subsequently requested the image be taken down. cite news | title = Brash orders Clark image taken off website | publisher = NZPA | date = 2006-09-21 | url = http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,3804622a10,00.html | accessdate = 2006-10-17 ]

Told that the National Party had expressed sympathy for her, Ms Clark replied: "I have very, very prominent friends in New Zealand life who have rung me… saying they were simply amazed at the sort of people, seemingly reputable citizens, who were prepared to pass on baseless lies as if they were factual." [cite news | last = Field | first = Michael | title = PM blasts rumour mongers and media | publisher = Fairfax New Zealand | date= 2006-09-18 | url = http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,3801283a10,00.html | accessdate = 2006-12-08 ]

Clark also claimed that the Exclusive Brethren had hired a private detective to follow Mr Davis and herself. Within a week, private detective Wayne Idour admitted being hired by the sect “to dig dirt” on Labour MPs and described some of the things he had found out as “alarming”. He told the media that he would make these “alarming” discoveries public within a week. Nothing appeared. cite news | last = Young | first = Audrey | title = Brethren spy hits back at Labour | publisher = APN | date = 2006-09-23 | url = http://subs.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=1&ObjectID=10402616 | accessdate = 2006-10-17 ]

"The Hollow Men"

Nicky Hager published "The Hollow Men: A Study in the Politics of Deception"cite book|last = Hager | first = Nicky | title = The Hollow Men : A study in the politics of deception | publisher = Craig Potton Publishing | year = 2006 | location = Nelson, NZ | id = ISBN 1-877333-62-X] in November 2006 after an interim injunction against the publication of Brash's private email correspondence was lifted at the request of Dr Brash's lawyer. [NZPA, [http://subs.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=1&ObjectID=10412275 Brash email injunction lifted] , NZ Herald, Friday November 24, 2006] Hager claims that the National Party spent millions of dollars in its election campaign without breaching the legal spending cap. cite news | url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=1&ObjectID=10412115 | title=Hager Book: Brash assisted to power by business lobby | publisher = New Zealand Herald | date = 2006-11-24] He points to several possible breaches of the election law by National, and asserts that the scope of the Auditor General's inquiry was "very limited” and did not include illegal third party advertising. According to Hager, evidence from undisclosed sources and the leaked e-mails point to a breach of section 221 of the Electoral Act. He further asserts that the book “Postcard From Home”, Brash’s Biography, was called a “significant marketing tool” by Brash, and that the National-produced “Fairtax postcards” were “exactly the same expense as Labour’s pledge card”. (Hager: pgs 240-241)

In addition, Hager disclosed a letter from the Exclusive brethren to Don Brash and John Key (now head of the National Party) stating that “We are working on ‘our/your’ campaign full-time” written May 2005 four months before the election”. According to the Sunday Star Times, this and other documents “confirm, that months before the election campaign, that National Party Mp’s and staff, …were fully aware of the Exclusive Brethren advertising campaign and that at least some MPs had seen the draft publications”. (“The Book that Brought Down Brash”, 26 November Sunday Star Times,).

The sources and alleged breaches by National in Hager's book remain controversial and have sparked a debate regarding the invasion of privacy versus the public interest. [ [http://www.listener.co.nz/issue/3475/features/7721/seeds_of_unease.html;jsessionid=02579B6827FEE2C70E18675D1302327F Seeds of unease] , Matt Nippert, The Listener, December 16-22 2006 Vol 206 No 3475.] On 27th November 2006, the Greens called for further investigation. cite press release | title = Greens ask Police and Electoral Commission to investigate National's donations' return | publisher = The Green Party | date = 2006-11-27 | url = http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0611/S00520.htm | accessdate = 2006-12-13]

Don Brash resigns

On 12 December 2006, Don Brash resigned from the leadership of the National Party and subsequently retired from Parliament. The leadership of the party has now passed to John Key. cite press release | title = Notes for Valedictory Speech | publisher = Don Brash | date = 2006-12-12 | url = http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0612/S00238.htm |accessdate = 2006-12-13] Speculation exists that Don Brash resigned due to the allegations in the Nicky Hager book. Fact|date=February 2008

Public response

Most political commentators believe that Helen Clark misjudged the public mood on the alleged spending, calling it "a beltway issue" cite news|url=http://subs.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=1&ObjectID=10399173|title=Vast majority want parties to pay back unlawfully spent money|accessdate=2006-10-23] - that is, of interest only to those who are involved the political process and not of interest to ordinary voters. A TVNZ opinion poll [TVNZ polls have been claimed to be consistently biased in favour of National. cite journal|url=http://www.nzlistener.co.nz/default,3770.sm|title=For whom the caller polls|last=Black|first=Joanne|journal=New Zealand Listener|volume=198|issue=3387|date=9 April 2005] showed a 13% lead to National during the fallout cite news|url=http://tvnz.co.nz/view/page/411368/835035|title=One News Colmar Brunton Poll: Sept 2006|accessdate=2006-10-23] , but other polls showed Labour and National neck and neck. [cite web|url=http://www.roymorgan.com/news/polls/2006/4095/|title=In New Zealand: Labour Up 4% To 40% - National Party Support Also 40%|publisher=Roy Morgan Research|date=21 October 2006] A TV 3 poll around the same time showed Labour ahead on 4 November 2006. Labour’s rating remained within 2 points consistently during the debate. For the first time some media have reported dis-satisfaction with Helen Clark's leadership amongst the Labour Party Caucus. cite news|url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/feature/story.cfm?c_id=1501118&ObjectID=10405897|title=Election spending row - Labour MPs told to pay Brady bill|accessdate=2006-10-23] While Clark is almost certain to survive due to her previous strong leadership record, political opponents claim that Clark has been permanently damaged by the scandal. Dominion Post commentator Chris Trotter wrote in the 20-Oct-06 Dominion Post that “Solicitor General Terence Arnold QC's "expansive" interpretation of the Parliamentary Services Act betrayed a woeful lack of knowledge about the way our political system operates:

His opinion characterised parliamentarians as glorified civil servants subject to executive oversight and prohibited from spending public funds on any form of political advocacy (which he appeared to regard as a private activity). In his version of parliamentary democracy, political parties are viewed as entities extraneous to Parliament and play no role in the day to day operations of government.

Mr Brady went on to compound the anti democratic, effect of the solicitor general's opinion by confining his investigation into "unlawful" parliamentary expenditure to election advertising. It was this decision, another "cock up", which allowed the Opposition to set in motion a major political conspiracy...The auditor general's office and the news media had both become important adjuncts to the Opposition's campaign to destroy Labour's political reputation.

As officers of Parliament, the capacity of the Auditor-General and Solicitor-General to respond to criticism is limited. However, Jim Evans, Emeritus Professor of Law at Auckland University responded to the critics of the Auditor-General's report on a blog saying that "various attempts [have] been made in recent weeks to obfuscate the issues surrounding the Auditor-General's report on advertising expenditure by political parties in the three months before the last general election" cite web| last = Evans | first = Jim | title = In Praise of the Auditor-General| publisher = Public Address | date = 2006-10-30 | url =http://www.publicaddress.net/default,3639.sm#post| accessdate = 2006-10-31]

Overhaul of election funding laws

The government announced that, in light of the funding problems, they would look into changing the "Electoral Act 1993" surrounding election funding. cite news|url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=1&ObjectID=10404114|title=Election funding laws to be overhauled, Clark says|accessdate=2006-10-21] Following the release of the Auditor-General's report, the Appropriation (Parliamentary Expenditure Validation) Bill was moved through Parliament in two days under urgency, being passed on 18 October 2006. cite web | title = Appropriation (Parliamentary Expenditure Validation) Bill | date = 2006-10-18 | format = pdf | url = http://www.parliament.nz/NR/rdonlyres/C56F067E-FF68-4822-B1F4-E4277B00953D/42434/DBHOH_BILL_7688_3698.pdf | accessdate = 2006-10-21]

Later, the Government introduced the Electoral Finance Bill to reform electoral finance laws.

ee also

*Campaign finance

References

External links

* [http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=1&ObjectID=10405611 NZ Herald pledge card time line]
*Hagar, Nicky. "The Hollow Men : A study in the politics of deception"; Craig Potton Publishing, Nelson, NZ; ISBN 1-877333-62-X; 2006