Draft new law on election campaign funding is just around the corner it seems, with several media outlets reporting last week legislation will be tabled in the house in the week ahead.
Parliament sits on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, so we could see the proposed legislation in a couple of days from now.
The Coalition For Open Government is keeping a close eye on the process, and will be working around the clock to produce a publication summarising the good and the bad aspects of the draft legislation as soon as we get a copy of it.
We want to see as many people as possible write submissions to the Justice and Electoral Select Committee on the proposed law, to ensure that this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to make the laws as strong as possible is taken up. Be ready to make a submission, and please pass on this update to others who you think would be interested, and suggest they subscribe for further updates by emailing us.
Forestry Groups Will Break Whatever Law Is Passed
Meanwhile even before the government’s legislation has been introduced, some in the forestry lobby say they will break the new law.
The head of the Kyoto Forestry Association told TV3 news last week that they want to spend $1 million campaigning against the government’s Kyoto policies at the next election, even if it means breaking the law.
“If it means we have to defy the law to do so then that’s what we will do,” Roger Dickie told TV3’s Duncan Garner.
Click here to read the story (and click on the “video” button to watch the item).
Some news items this week
There were several stories covering the election spending debate last week in addition to the one above, and below are some links in case you missed them first time around.
* Newsroom, 18 July - Concessions Likely For Small Parties In Election Spending Reforms.
* Radio NZ, 19 July - Govt waters down proposals on election spending (Radio NZ link no longer active, but duplicate version on newsroom.co.nz site is here. You can hear the two articles from Morning Report that formed the basis of that summary here and here. (These links will be active for a couple of days only).
* Newstalk ZB – 18 July. National Party deputy leader Bill English is not happy National has not been consulted on draft legislation due to come before Parliament later this year. Read the Newstalk ZB report here, and National’s media release here.
* NZPA – 19 July. The Government is urging suspicious opposition parties to wait for new election laws to be introduced to Parliament before criticising the legislation. Read the NZPA article here.
* DomPost, 19 July. National’s support for Labour’s election finance reforms looks increasingly shaky after the Government locked it out of discussions. Read the DominionPost article here.
