Electoral Finance Amendment Act Details
Bill English has released his proposed amendment to the Electoral Finance Act. Both Labour and the Green parties have been breaching their own law by using their head office address rather than their financial agent’s home address.
I suspect all parties will support it, as I doubt any of them really want the home address of their financial agent displayed on every billboard, pamphlet and poster in the country.
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Tags: Bill English, Electoral Finance Act, Greens, Labour
March 22nd, 2008 at 9:26 am
In the interests of freedom of expression, I consider that living people should also be able to use a non-residential address, as long as the address given is one to which documents can be served and where the ‘occupier’ will provide a home address to appropriate authorities. The sorts of addresses used should be subject to approval and I envisage that they would be the likes of accountants and solicitors offices, and it would be an offence using such an address without the firm’s consent.
March 22nd, 2008 at 9:45 am
It will be good to get this part of the law gone before candidates gear up their campaigns. Even so, what is the point of having the address of the head office on what the EC determines are election advertisments? It’s common knowledge or very easy to find out the address of the head office.
March 22nd, 2008 at 9:55 am
All “third parties” wishing to make a “political comment”, must register with the Chief Electoral Officer.
The Chief Electoral Officer will keep a record of each third party including their home address.
That registration will automatically be part of a “numbered list”.
Would it not be sensible to use that “number” as evidence of registration.
That number is all that should be required as proof of authorization of whatever type of published statement that is to be displayed.
Don’t tell me that this is too difficult or won’t work. It is no different to how the owners of all motor vehicles are identified.
March 22nd, 2008 at 10:06 am
Why is National trying to fix such a bad law?
I can’t help but feel as this year continues by, that a vote for National is simply a vote for the lesser of two evils rather than a party who truly wants to push New Zealand forward.
March 22nd, 2008 at 10:07 am
Got a copy (or link), DPF? The leave granted in Parliament made no mention of candidates, but the article does.
andy – it’s not necessarily very easy to find the head office of an unincorporated body.
March 22nd, 2008 at 10:11 am
I’ve e-mailed you a copy.
March 22nd, 2008 at 11:25 am
It’s available as a download from the story on the National website, at
http://national.org.nz/Article.aspx?ArticleID=11971
March 22nd, 2008 at 2:13 pm
I agree with Mr NOBODY….Why are National bothering to fix it. Liabor should be left to stew in their own mess and feel the acrimony of the other parties.
March 22nd, 2008 at 2:50 pm
National’s wishy washy stance continues to show they will not actually reject the EFA, just fix up those inconsistencies that have so far inconvenienced Labour and the Greens. The terms of reference were always too narrow, the time frame too rushed and the legislation flawed. Offering to do Labour’s work only distracts them from the campaign. Good job. Will they be making the tea and scones at Labour’s fund raisers too?
March 22nd, 2008 at 3:06 pm
National has said on many occasions that they will repeal the Act.
March 22nd, 2008 at 3:14 pm
baxter – as I said on another thread, I reckon this is a good move by English and National. It is NOT, IMHO bailing Labour out; rather it is pointing out to all and sundry what a bad piece of legislation this was – bad both in intent and in drafting. The added bonus is that this will keep the EFA in the news as the election gets every closer – which gives the parties who opposed the EFA plenty of scope to attack the supporters.
March 22nd, 2008 at 3:17 pm
I’m in two minds on this.
On the one hand, I don’t think that National should be getting involved in fixing this – they should just say “it is bad law in so many ways, picking one of them and fixing it is a waste of everybody’s time, and just makes it easier to ignore the other areas of badness that don’t directly impact political parties.”
On the other, this is yet another example of government in waiting. National is fixing up Labour’s mistakes, just as they will be doing after the election – and showing the pragmatism and ability to compromise that is essential in government.
On balance I think this is good, but I will reserve judgment a little to see how it plays out.
March 22nd, 2008 at 6:51 pm
Think of all the poor lawyers, I bet they were hoping for an early Christmas. I’m with Mr Nobody and Baxter, screw the Liarbore bastards, if they want to shit in their own nests they should lie in it. Anyhow whats the big issue, Dear Leader will fix any fuck up retrospectively providing she still rules the roost.