The correct way to do it

Nick Smith also has a trust fund to help with his legal expenses. Unlike Winston, Nick’s expenses are because he is being sued, not because he initiaties law suits himself.

Anyway if you look at the 2008 Register of MPs’ Pecuniary Interests, Nick declares a beneficial interest in the Freedom of Speech trust. He has complied with the requirements of Standing Orders.

Helen Clark and Winston Peters are both claiming that having someone pay $100,000 of your personal legal bills does not need to be disclosed. Now even putting aside the legal arguments over that, consider the hypocrisy of their position.

Are they both really saying that there is no public interest in having someone who is lobbying the Government for a diplomatic appointment, knowing that he has donated $100,000 to her Foreign Minister?

And then consider all their claims about the need for transparency in political financing. Hypocrisy isn’t the half of it.