Maybe it is okay to call it the Mugabe Bill

People get very upset if one compares the Government and its Electoral Finance Bill to overseas repressive regimes. But NZ Herald Political Editor Audrey Young blogs:

Great ironies at Parliament today.

Madam Zhu Lilan of the 10th National People’s Congress of the Republic of China was talking to the education committee about advances in opening up the Chinese education system, while National leader John Key was talking to the press club about the repressive, anti-democratic Electoral Finance Bill – that of which the Gang of Four would have been proud.

The simple fact is it is repressive and anti-democratic.

The Herald also reports that Labour has said it may negotiate on the bill with National, but only if National stops attacking it. Hilarious. National asked a dozen times before it got released to be consulted. It asked for a multi-party approach to it. Labour spat in National’s face and refused any dialogue. And now when they have f**ded themselves over with such a repressive bill, they want National to bail it out.

As a minor rebuke to the Herald, I should point out they have reported the EB’s campaign as $1.2 million. That is an alleged figure, and is disputed and should not be reported as fact.