Herald on electoral finance law

The NZ Herald editorial:

Three years after the outcry at financial restrictions on independent electoral advertising, the Labour Party has got its way. National has folded on an issue it fought from Opposition, agreeing to restrictions that differ only by degree with the spending limits legislated by the Labour Government. …

National has surrendered to the left’s fear of money, which is just one possible influence among many in an election. Its bipartisan fix will leave our politics poorer and preserve elections largely for the parties who have conspired to produce this disgraceful discouraging law.

Again I encourage National Party members to speak up on this law. Bring the topic up at monthly electorate meetings with MPs. Ask your regional chairs and board members what their views on the law is, and will they do to represent the views of members on this issue. Consider moving a resolution at Regional Council meetings reaffirming National’s opposition to having the Government restrict the ability of “third parties” to spend their own money criticising parties, candidates and policies they don’t like.

I recognise that the law change has been agreed to, and will occur. You may wonder then what is the point of protesting – is it just to be destructive? No, the idea is to provide an incentive for this not to happen again in future, where the parliamentary wing agrees to something that National campaigned against so strongly. Unless MPs hear the voices of party members on this issue, then the party becomes marginalised.

Remember that the EFA had already been repealed (with Labour’s support) soon after the election. The bill that entered Parliament did not have restrictions on third party spending in it. National was not forced to agree to it, to get the law passed. It chose to do so.