Labour first to break own Electoral Finance Act

Political Animal Electoral Finance Act coverage

2008 Electoral Finance Act protest
Electoral Finance Act March Mar 9, 2008
Electoral Finance Bill Vote
NZ losses democratic freedom
Mike Moore turns the knife
List of MPs who voted for Act
Cartoon and comment
2007 Auckland Protest against EFB
The purpose of the Bill is clear

The Labour Party has been the first political party to breach the Electoral Finance Act, but it is to be let off with a warning, friends in high places I think.

The Electoral Commission met on Wednesday to consider whether a number of political pamphlets breached the new act.

It found that the Labour Party's booklet entitled We're Making a Difference is an election advertisement, and needed an authorisation statement.

The commission says that as it is the first breach of the Electoral Finance Act, it will use this as an example.

But it says political parties are on notice that any similar breaches will be referred to police.

As is usual with grubby, raincoat wearing socialists, it is a case of do as I say, not as I do and the state apparatus has fallen in behind. Isn't the example better made by prosecuting rather than letting the law breakers get off?

Absolutely. But we shouldn't be surprised of course. This bunch passed retrospective law to make stealing taxpayers money to buy the 2005 election legal.

There is still no news about the $100,000.00 loan made to the Labour party by Owen Glenn after the 2005 election and not disclosed.



Related Political Animal reading

Owen Glenn: Snouts in the trough
The Owen Glenn story: Singing the same tune but hitting a bum note
Labour Party Election funding murky at best

c Political Animal 2008