Coalition For Open Government, New Zealand

Media Release: 24.7.07 

The Coalition for Open Government says the government has failed to deliver on its most important promise for election finance reform – ending large anonymous donations and secret election trust funds.

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Media Release - 23.7.07

The Coalition for Open Government is very disappointed with the new Electoral Finance Bill, released today, saying it falls far short of the government’s promise to create a more open and incorruptible election system.

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The government today tabled their election finance bill.  Read the government’s release here.  The legislation itself is here on Parliament’s website.

Initial Reaction:
Green Party: Elections should be about policy not money
No Right Turn blog: A closer look: the Electoral Finance Bill
KiwiBlog: Shutting down dissent and Anonymous and trust donations remain legal
Kyoto Forestry Association: Election-Year Spending Limit Worse Than Expected
National: Labour screws electoral scrum

Coverage:
RadioNZ: Electoral reform lobby group appalled secret trusts left out of electoral bill and  Anonymous donations to political parties won’t be stopped by new bill - Greens
Newsroom: Diluted Campaign Spending Law Introduced
DomPost: $60,000 limit for political interest groups
Herald: New rules on election spending revealed
Radio NZ Audio: Minister Burton on Checkpoint; Morning Report piece
Minister: Press conference video (or press conference audio); Minister’s YouTube post

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.

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An interview earlier in the year on ABC Radio National in Australia looked at the role of political lobbying, and how that should be regulated.

The article discusses the Canadian Lobbyists’ Registration Act, and is related to recent events in Australia, but is worthy reading for anyone with an interest in limiting the undue influence of powerful groups on the political process.  Does New Zealand need similar law? 

You can read a transcript of the interview here on the ABC’s website.

Coalition for Open Government spokesperson Steven Price was invited recently to set out the Coalition’s views on the election spending debate. 

You can read the full version of Steven’s article online here.