by Metiria Turei
Now’s the chance to have your say on the Electoral Finance legislation that is currently before the Select Committee. Submissions close on 17 June so get in quick!
The legislation as it stands will allow third parties to spend as much as they like on election campaigns. This is unfair because it doesn’t provide a level playing field for democracy in New Zealand.
It is really important that New Zealand’s democracy cannot be bought by big business. An election should be a battle of ideas, not a battle of who has the most money.
As the 1986 Royal Commission report that noted:
“It is illogical to limit spending by parties if other interests are not also controlled. Supporters or opponents of a party or candidate should not be able to promote their views without restriction merely by forming campaign organisations ‘unaffiliated’ to any party … Nor should powerful or wealthy interest groups be able to spend without restriction during an election campaign while [the parties] are restricted.”
The bill will rightly limit political party spending to help provide a level playing field – it doesn’t make sense not to also limit third party spending. The lack of a third party cap creates a massive loophole, which no doubt will be exploited if it remains in the legislation.
Another problem is that donations to political parties under $10,000 can be kept secret, we think the public has the right to know who is giving their MPs money.
If you want more information on the Greens position check out our submission on the proposal paper.
If you want to make a submission check out the Parliament site which has all the details. If you are unable to get past the verification step (where you need to type in some hard to read letters), you can use our submission form instead.
Go on do it, it’s your democracy!
Published in Environment & Resource Management by Metiria Turei on Fri, June 11th, 2010
Tags: EFA, electoral finance, electoral finance bill, honest politics
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on the trolls and those who are unable to keep on topic
As you say – “It is illogical to limit spending by parties if other interests are not also controlled. Supporters or opponents of a party or candidate should not be able to promote their views without restriction merely by forming campaign organisations ‘unaffiliated’ to any party … Nor should powerful or wealthy interest groups be able to spend without restriction during an election campaign while [the parties] are restricted.” — per the 1986 Royal Commission.
I buy that.
And because I’m a little short on time today I’ll add – In Jones’ frank and brusque style – a recommendation for Parliament to cap the crap.
Do that because third party interests all too often bring bora ( aka tunnel vision) to the broad beam of the ship of state.
Besides, you get a bora hole in your house and you bomb it, right. Plain good maintenance..
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Interesting too – that, whilst the US is changing these rules in the reverse order (having learned the folly of such a notion).
This Government seems to be doing a lot of ‘going backward’.
Falling out of step with lessons learned the expensive way o’seas.
Also, they do have a ‘Divide and Conquer’ mentality.
I was shocked, shocked Met, to hear an ACT Member refer to the “Underclasses” in the house last week.
All we’re missing is Joe McCarthy, and Rodney or his little mate are even getting close to that.
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Submission in: One question… for the last bit of your own submission (section 8), what are you referring to?
I thought it to be the Royal Commission report but it was somewhat unclear about what “options” were being discussed where.
respectfully
BJ
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Hey BJ
sorry that was bit unclear the submission was in response to the Government’s proposal paper which outlined options. ( http://www.justice.govt.nz/policy-and-consultation/electoral/electoral-finance-reform/documents/Electoral%20Finance%20Reform%20Proposal%20Document.pdf). The options for section 8 paralell campaigning are on page 33.
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