Brown spends up big in bid for power

Nope not Gordon Brown, but Len Brown. His spending is already into six figures it seems, and he is planning a million dollar campaign.

Where are the Labour Party and Green Party people condemning big money in politics, and demanding law changes to stop him “buying” the election?

Brown has already spent between $150,000 and $200,000, according to his rival, Auckland Mayor John Banks – but Brown has dismissed this as at least $100,000 too high.

Brown also denied that his funding had come principally from former Auckland City mayor Dick Hubbard – however the cereal king has paid a small sum.

Brown predicted yesterday that his campaign would reach the million mark.

So who is funding Brown? Surely this Labour Party member will reveal all.

While there will be a cap of $70,000 on all campaigns, that only covers the last three months before the election.

Now think about this. A national campaign has a spending cap of $2.4 million for the last three months and the fact National ran some billboards just ahead of that time period worth around $250,000 saw Labour force through a law change to stop such a thing. So National spent an extra 10% of the regulated period budget before the regulated period. While Labour Party member Len Brown is planning to spend an extra 1300% before the regulated period.