No limits of planned funding

The leaks to soften up the public on taxpayer funding of political parties continues, with details in the NZ Herald.

Labour plans to ram through before the election this fundamental law change, which would see it get $1.14 million every year. Now note that this is not tied to campaign communications (like the broadcasting allocation) but is just a giant forced donation to the political party, which can be used for anything at all – recruiting members for example.

It is deeply ironic that having been found to have spent illegally $800,000 of taxpayer funds on their last election, Labour want to change the law to take more than that every year.

Whether the law proceeds may depend on Taito Phillip Field. I wonder how many inducements they will offer him to get his vote. I don’t mean illegal inducements, I mean stuff like funding for a new Pacific party.

Labour has no mandate for introducing such funding. It should campaign at the next election on the merits of its proposal, and if parties in favour get a majority, they can then implement it post 2008.