Electoral Finance Act now law
December 18th, 2007 at 5:24 pm by David FarrarSubject to royal assent, the Electoral Finance Act is now law.
In favour – Labour 49, NZ First 7, Green 6, Progressive 1
Against – National 48 against, Maori 4, United Future 2, Act 2, Field 1
Total: 63 to 57
Related posts:
- Electoral Finance Bill (not) to have third reading today
- Electoral Finance Bill passes first reading
- Relationships Bill Vote Details
- Electoral Integrity Bill
December 18th, 2007 at 5:27 pm
Let the games begin!
Vote:December 18th, 2007 at 5:28 pm
let the cement start to set.
around the labour facsists ankles
Vote:December 18th, 2007 at 5:29 pm
Hardly decisive.
Vote:December 18th, 2007 at 5:31 pm
New Year’s Resolution: Civil Disobedience.
Vote:December 18th, 2007 at 5:31 pm
Sign Joseph Mooney’s petition to the GG
http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/save-nz-democracy.html
Vote:December 18th, 2007 at 5:32 pm
So where’s Kiwiblog going to be located during “the period”…..?
Vote:December 18th, 2007 at 5:34 pm
Frank
Vote:I’m with you. Civil Disobedience
December 18th, 2007 at 5:35 pm
Lazy copeland, he didnt vote
Vote:December 18th, 2007 at 5:43 pm
Where’s the list of new parties to join?
Vote:(Please keep membership to $0.01 – then I can join more of them!)
December 18th, 2007 at 5:44 pm
Democracy in NZ has had it’s funeral.
Vote:December 18th, 2007 at 5:45 pm
Percy Bysshe Shelley’s translation of the La Marseillaise reads:
Ye sons of France, awake to glory
Hark, hark, what myriads bid you rise!
Your children, wives and grandsires hoary
Behold their tears and hear their cries!
Shall hateful tyrants mischief breeding
With hireling hosts, a ruffian band
Affright and desolate the land
While peace and liberty lie bleeding?
To arms, to arms, ye brave!
Th’avenging sword unsheathe!
March on! march on!
All hearts resolved
On victory or death.
I especially like ‘hateful tyrants’ and can you not see NZF and the Greens as the ‘hireling hosts’ of the ‘ruffian band’ which motley crew are laying waste to the country.
I think it came to mind after Tom Scott’s cartoon and a reference on another thread to Charles Chauvel and the RSHA, which by one of those segues of the mind caused me to think of that immortal film Casablanca where the refugeees in Rick’s Cafe sing the Marseillaise as a response to the presence of the Nazis in their midst. In response to which the Nazis demand the authorities close the cafe.
Very reminiscent of the events of today.
Vote:December 18th, 2007 at 5:48 pm
Inventury2: Thanks for your directive. Put the G-G in the firing line. As an ex Ombudsman he must know that the EFB brings with it the stench of corruption. He will be another with an albatross hanging round his neck if he signs.
The Ancient Mariner lives on in history.
Vote:December 18th, 2007 at 5:49 pm
Fuck.
Vote:December 18th, 2007 at 5:52 pm
what are we going to talk about now that’s all over?
Vote:December 18th, 2007 at 5:52 pm
The fat would be in the fire if the GG resigns rather than sign the royal assent.
Vote:December 18th, 2007 at 5:55 pm
Funny old world where Field (standing in the dock as an accussed felon) is more honest than Liarbore, Watermelon, Winston First and Regressive.
Vote:December 18th, 2007 at 5:56 pm
So where are the half wits,ie james creep, sonic , tane (a stunted tree , no the shittheads opps our communist posters are quiet but that pic of the tossier duck mallard,in the dock , ,clark nee davis would look good in that pic , davis nz wont let you be a magabe , because you are are shallow and after this coming election , nz will be bored with a lying leader , overeducated,and really out of toach, this is the biggist BOO BOO in nz histoery, ( ITS MR KEY TIME)
Vote:December 18th, 2007 at 5:58 pm
Adam Smith: Great to have an interpretation ot “To Arms Citizens”.
Come in handy in a Civil Disobedience March. The Music is really inspiring.
Vote:December 18th, 2007 at 5:59 pm
Big Deal. It’s lousy legislation. Nothing new. Hardly the end of democracy as we know it. Maybe the end of the 5th Labour govt.
It certainly gives DPF a good excuse to keep the threads fired up over here, but hardly relevant to the greater politik.
Tim Shadbolt will probably spend more than $120,000 campaigning against the govt, but he won’t be locked up because it ‘won’t be in the public interest’ or because the law is so lousy it won’t be enforceable, and at the same time, demonstrate that you are all getting worked up over nothing. But, hey, keep partying folks! Whatever gets your fancy.
Vote:December 18th, 2007 at 6:02 pm
“what are we going to talk about now that’s all over?”
We gotta keep talking bout John Keys promise to rescind the EFB once in power.
Vote:December 18th, 2007 at 6:02 pm
Reminds me of this moment
http://edition.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/meast/05/01/sprj.irq.main/index.html
Vote:December 18th, 2007 at 6:11 pm
Kent Packer
What planet are you on saying we are worked up over nothing. Change the brand you are smoking.
Concerned punters from every part of the country and viewpoint have expressed their dislike for this bill yet you can’t see the problem.
Only one message F…k off back to your hole.
Vote:December 18th, 2007 at 6:12 pm
Kent Parker Says:
“It certainly gives DPF a good excuse to keep the threads fired up over here, but hardly relevant to the greater politik.”
Just as well you are above such venal things Kent and are obviously so relevant to the greater politik. Hey I thought it was Clark Kent who was superman maybe I just got the name wrong?
Vote:December 18th, 2007 at 6:12 pm
Bugger…
The EFB may have some merit on account of Greenpeace oppose it, according to the petition.
Vote:December 18th, 2007 at 6:13 pm
You’re taking the piss, right?
Vote:December 18th, 2007 at 6:27 pm
David – at some point can you please provide us with details of “10 easy ways to break the law” (either intentionally or unintentionally)
I have two weeks to decide how I am going to break the law as my personal protest (civil disobedience)
I intend to break the law as often as possible. (by the way I do not have much in the way of spare funds so a large donation is out of the question)
Vote:December 18th, 2007 at 6:27 pm
To quote Idiot/Savant, “Democracy won, plutocracy lost, eat that.”
Vote:December 18th, 2007 at 6:29 pm
Hell where are the usual REALLY BORING NEGATIVE communit /leftist posters (working) yer right,fuck give me a break (ps i start at 5.30 am). Hell james sleep im a old skilled worker and wear glasses ,labour leadership studied pol,pot and like pol pot,hates skilled tradesman,so as a creepy smartmouth pimple,head helen lover would you shoot me in the back of my head for being skilled with glasses in helens communist dream(early cambodia), or will reality hit when your life is burgher king.OR im your trainer, HA J
Vote:December 18th, 2007 at 6:31 pm
Monty
Uncle Winston has a few spare $ he can’t give away. Why not ask him.
Vote:December 18th, 2007 at 6:34 pm
Toms: Yeah, right. Those plutocrats in the Maori party sure got shafted, didn’t they?
I mean, did you evene study the issue? Did you even watch the debate?
Vote:December 18th, 2007 at 6:35 pm
Its getting so much easier to break the law that we will look suspect of breaking it,,, if we earn under 50,000 a year.
Vote:December 18th, 2007 at 6:35 pm
Good on you John, starting at 5.30am! What do you want, a medal? The New Zealand Order of Incoherent Grievance (N.Z.O.I.G)?
Vote:December 18th, 2007 at 6:38 pm
Toms: and if was such a great law, where were the Labour front bench? Where were the red Labour brand boxes? Oh no, Labour was ashamed to be associated with this debate, and most of its speaking slots went to junior MPs. Meanwhile, it had Mallard apologise, Mallard plead guilty, and Cullen announce two rounds of tax cuts.
Labour is so ashamed of this bill, it is doing everything it can to hide its passage.
Doesn’t that speak volumes.
Vote:December 18th, 2007 at 6:39 pm
Milo: Yes I did, to me the only issue is it isn’t tough enough, and the 12 month period is fully 1/3 of our electoral cycle. But can you imagine how this lot of tossers would have reacted to a sugestion the electoral cycle got increased to four years to complement this bill? Seriously, trying to engage and argue with Farrar’s brownshirts is a waste of time.
Vote:December 18th, 2007 at 6:43 pm
Tommy boy- I’ll say it again- you are a prat!
Vote:December 18th, 2007 at 6:46 pm
Monty
My son reckons we should not pay taxes next year, as such large amounts could well be in excess of the $12,000 and definitely meet the criteria of “supporting the government” in an election year
Vote:December 18th, 2007 at 6:49 pm
And if you get done by IRD you could quote the “Peters defence” and donate your taxes to a charity!
Vote:December 18th, 2007 at 6:52 pm
I’m with Monty, Raffles, and Frank. No time to mourn, we need to start planning the civil disobedience now.
Just a thought. I’m in Australia. It’s doubtful I’m even subject to the EF law and if I am, good luck getting me back there to prosecute.
So if anyone is feeling generous and just happens to want to give me a wad of cash to bank, I may just be suffused with enough goodwill to spend an equal but entirely unrelated amount on the electoral advertising of that person’s choice
Money laundering? Nah, never heard of it, errr… cobber.
Vote:December 18th, 2007 at 6:55 pm
Rex Widerstrom Says:
“So if anyone is feeling generous and just happens to want to give me a wad of cash to bank”
I hear Winston has a wad burning a hole in his pocket.
Vote:December 18th, 2007 at 6:58 pm
toms, REALLY good one , ps i start earlier at times and i can pat my own back
Vote:The award (I.C.P.M.O.B) ,thanks tomyboy for the thought.Now get back to executing NZs skilled workforce and,sending our jobs to COMMUNIST china,leftist arsehole
December 18th, 2007 at 7:23 pm
Well comrades, the first step has been won. Now we really need to turn the heat up under the concept taht 1 year is too little. remember Comrade Hager’s words to the Select Committee?
“As you know, modern election campaigns begin the day after the election before, and in a really comprehensive bill we’d have controls through the other two years.”
Let that be our battle cry after we win the next election!
Vote:“One year bad! Three years good!”
December 18th, 2007 at 7:49 pm
Key should call Clark and ask, “So how does it feel to drop the 2008 Election?”
Vote:December 18th, 2007 at 7:52 pm
If we can operate profitable businesses, minimise tax payments and be intelligent enough to not vote Left I’m sure as a collective group we have a bloody high chance of finding at least 1,000 creative ways of circumventing this facist law.
Vote:December 18th, 2007 at 7:54 pm
it’s easily circumvented – stand for parliament
Vote:December 18th, 2007 at 7:59 pm
To arms, what a great idea, so what would your rally cry be, you go first David to see if the
army shoves a bayonet up your arse?
But it will make television viewing
Vote:December 18th, 2007 at 8:07 pm
what about “1 2 3 4 we dont want your racist tour” ?
Vote:December 18th, 2007 at 8:22 pm
grumpy: You can only get a bayonet up your arse if you are running away slower than the bastard chasing you with the cold steel. Corporal Jones knew all about this. He who fights and runs away is a bloody wise bastard.
Vote:December 18th, 2007 at 8:38 pm
They don’t like it up em.
Could set a record for the 100 metre sprint by
conservative types.
Head stay with me, feet don’t let me down,
would be the call.
He who stays in stores and has to go forward
Vote:to the base hospital if he drops a box on his toes, is an even wiser bastard.
December 18th, 2007 at 8:54 pm
Rear echelon bastards definitely the smartest and they get to write the history too.
Vote:December 18th, 2007 at 8:56 pm
Sorry that was re-write the history too. An old socialist skill.
Vote:December 18th, 2007 at 9:10 pm
Just a question about unintended consequences – but if this is now the law of the land, are those people in threads on this blog who are advocating disobeying the law; or those people agreeing to join together for the purpose of disobeying the law now potentially liable for prosecution as either conspiring to commit an offence or being parties to an offence?
Vote:December 18th, 2007 at 9:34 pm
Sedition time.
I challenge everyone who was against this law to break it, every opportunity you get, sure they can go after a few people. But if the 5000+ people who marched truely believe that freedom of speech is more important than honoring some unjust law, then they will ignore it.
Vote:December 18th, 2007 at 9:53 pm
I don’t understand
At the same time Annette King was saying today this Bill will prevent the “undue influence of money in politics”, Michael Cullen was talking about tax breaks next year. … …
Now I understand why the accusation of “hypocrisy” in parliament is banned.
I think.
Vote:December 18th, 2007 at 9:57 pm
To quote Idiot/Savant, “Democracy won, plutocracy lost, eat that.”
Excellent. I never did take notice of Idiot/Savant on most issues but now I can ignore him everything.
When he next complains about torture or the gagging of free speech or the crushing of union rights or human rights or framing people like Peter Ellis with trumped up charges based on feminism gone mad, I’ll simply be able to assume that he is merely complaining that these things are being done to him or his comrades and that, if the tables were turned, he’d be running the Cheka with just a name change.
What. An. Arsehole
Vote:December 18th, 2007 at 10:06 pm
I love the new pic that whale has to replace H1 in the yellow suit. Suots her, just wish he had have used a real photo of her.
Vote:December 18th, 2007 at 10:09 pm
Oh – and he can finally dump the “irredeemably liberal” tag too.
His entire blog has become a worse perversion of the original meaning of “liberal” than his left-wing cohorts in the US.
Vote:December 18th, 2007 at 10:31 pm
The speech of the year…….. Delivered by Hone Harawira, according to Klarke, all opponents of the EFB are either extreme right wingers or religious nutters. I wonder which group he belongs to?
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0712/S00417.htm
Guess national have another coalition partner lined up..
Vote:December 18th, 2007 at 10:41 pm
The guy is like Jeckyl and Hide (not Rodney). Hone can be absolutely brilliant like in this speech and next week he’ll do something dumb. I for one am happy for National and the Maori Party to team up and take down Labour/Greens & NZ First.
Vote:December 18th, 2007 at 10:47 pm
Barnsley, I’m from Grimsby. That speech by Hone was brilliant. I think I know where one of my votes is going.
Vote:December 18th, 2007 at 10:55 pm
Lee and BB,
no doubt Hone was fantastic. but……and ……
The prospect of Key, Sharples, English, Hide, Turia and Roy forming a government is the tonic this sick country needs!
Vote:December 18th, 2007 at 10:56 pm
sean – yes.
Vote:December 18th, 2007 at 11:06 pm
Its a sad day when citizens potentially become subject to criminal prosecution for spending their own money to say what they want…
Vote:December 18th, 2007 at 11:27 pm
You guys are fucked. Looks like I picked a good time (March) to move to Australia.
Vote:December 19th, 2007 at 5:16 am
“New Year’s Resolution: Civil Disobedience.”
Well I would like to be civilly disobedient.
Trouble is I don’t have a spare $120 000 to spare on advertising.
God damn.
Vote:December 19th, 2007 at 7:17 am
npog
Vote:$25 per week to a party of your choice, without giving them your full name and address will do it – you will be Mr Civil Disobedient. Hope this helps.
December 19th, 2007 at 7:23 am
Police are likely to ignore any breaches besides the really major ones so your civil disobedience will go un noticed. And if you have rather more money than NPOG above then you might just end up being a perfect ‘bad guy’ (ie rich and politically active) to get hung by the law.
Vote:But I guess we will see.
December 19th, 2007 at 7:47 am
“Police are likely to ignore any breaches besides the really major ones so your civil disobedience will go un noticed. ”
No – Police are likely to ignore any breaches committed by supporters of the Govt, but will be all over any committed by the Govt’s opponents. Indeed, there won’t even need to be a breach – a suggestion from Annette King to the Police Commissioner, with a tip-off to the media, will be enough.
Vote:December 19th, 2007 at 8:01 am
As NpOG has said:
“Trouble is I don’t have a spare $120 000 to spare on advertising.
God damn.”
DOn’t worry NpOG I am sure the EPMU and CPU can help you out.
Let’s persecute Rich pricks, and ignore the parallel campaigning by the ‘transparent’ union movement, though, shall we?
Isn;t it easier to work under a slogan like:
‘Rich prick’
‘Foreign Investors’
‘Corrupt media’?
I think Orwell once wrote something along the lines of:
“If I was organisisng a revolution the first to be shot would be those with the cleanest fingernails.”
I would like to see a Royal COmmission set up to examine proper electoral reform, not jsut one-sided rorting to suit Party-Political ends.
Vote:December 19th, 2007 at 8:02 am
Can we take a straw poll of Lefties:
How many would like to to see a Royal Commission set up to examine proper electoral reform?
Any takers?
Vote:December 19th, 2007 at 8:12 am
Emmerson’s Cartoon from today’s NZ Herald:
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/category/500814/story.cfm?c_id=500814&objectid=10483126
Vote:December 19th, 2007 at 9:03 am
Is there a video of the debate online? I know it was streamed live but I can’t find an archive of it…
Vote:December 19th, 2007 at 9:13 am
Lee C. A Royal Commission of Inquiry is the only way to deal with a new Electoral Act.
Fran O’Sullivan called for a Royal Commission after the last election.
A Roal Commission would need to headed by Dame Margaret Bazely and would need to need to investigate the last election thoroughly. That is a starting point. It would pin point the rorting that went on in the last election and go on from there.
If the people do not have confidence in an electoral system then all we have is anarchy reigning, as now is happening.
The Rule of Law has gone.
Vote:December 19th, 2007 at 9:54 am
The Rule of Law is not abolished by this act; simply because a law is bad does not mean that it is not law. Everyone is governed by the same law; special privileges accrue to a class of people [MPs] based on a written, publicly disclosed law adopted and enforced in accordance with established procedural steps. The law isn’t arbitrary in its application- everyone is affected.
Vote:Sure, the law is unfair in its restriction of speech. But it is actually fairly clear what it means and does.
December 19th, 2007 at 10:16 am
Here’s a challenge for you all.
Go to the Labour website and try and find one mention of the EFB.
It ain’t there. Are they that embarrassed by it that they, having passed it into law, do not want to be associated with it? Does that explain the absence of a large part of their caucus in the house yesterday??
Vote:December 19th, 2007 at 10:20 am
Grant Mckeena said:
The law isn’t arbitrary in its application- everyone is affected.
The law hasn’t been applied yet Grant.
My take is that the ambiguity inherent in this shoddy piece of legislation will allow the law to be arbitrarily applied to the detriment of the Governments opponents.
My basis for this assumption, includes Michael Cullen’s explanation that the Law wasn’t aimed at legitimate groups but the Brethren. -What does this imply?
I don’t believe the government would risk a show-down with Tim Shadbolt however blatantly he calls for a change of government, but I can assure you any hint that the unpopular groups like the EB might be planning something will evoke the full force of this law including its draconian and intrusive police search powers.
The only hope for fairness in the application of this bill, is in the Chief Electoral Office being kept free of political interference.
Vote:If this is the case and the requirements of the Act are impartially enforced they WILL need a veritable army of investigators and prosecutors.
This off course is the last thing that H1 wants, the sight of normal law abiding NZers getting dragged off to Court for criticising the government would her political death knell!
December 19th, 2007 at 10:20 am
and the absence of their red boxes.
and the swamping of the media with other political news to drown out the EFB – Mallard’s quakery and Cullen’s influencing-elections-with-big-money tax cut announcement.
No wonder they are treated with contempt and cynicism.
Vote:December 19th, 2007 at 10:38 am
Seems the only way this Government will listen to the expressed will of the people is via the ballot box, so let’s stick it to em!
Vote:December 19th, 2007 at 10:53 am
I have sympathy with what Grant McKenna says above. My concern is the large number of statements made by Ministers and others explaining the purpose of the bill and the Electoral Commission seeking guidance on interpretation. This inferes to me that enforcement will be selective – the law of common sense – ie political.
This is not acceptable. See my comments in this regard on the next thread.
Vote:December 19th, 2007 at 11:02 am
The price is not too high. I’m ready.
Vote:December 19th, 2007 at 11:43 am
I predict that the Nats will be able to form a government on their own after the next election except that wont be because of all the pending Court cases that will go on and on well into 09.
Vote: