Parliament
Cross-party support builds for review of electoral funding rules
A rare show of cross-party agreement has emerged for a select committee inquiry into political donations, after a series of high-profile disclosure disputes.
Momentum is building at Parliament for a full review of New Zealand's electoral finance rules, with members from three parties now backing a Justice Committee inquiry into how political donations are disclosed and capped.
The push follows months of wrangling over late-filed returns and questions about the use of party foundations to channel large gifts. Officials from the Electoral Commission told MPs earlier this year that parts of the Electoral Act were "no longer fit for the way modern campaigns are funded."
Where the parties stand
Backbench MPs have coalesced around three areas for review: lowering the anonymous donation threshold, tightening reporting timelines, and clarifying the rules for third-party campaigners.
"This shouldn't be a partisan issue," said one committee member. "Voters are entitled to know who is paying for the messages they see."
The Government has stopped short of committing to legislation but has signalled it is "open to a considered, cross-party process." Any changes are unlikely to take effect before the next general election.
Filed by
Priya Naidu
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