Taxpayer Funded Electioneering
This pamphlet would definitely count as electioneering if done during the regulated period. The rules before the regulated period are less strict, but I wonder if even under those rules whether this qualifies. To qualify it must “have a parliamentary purpose” and “not contain electioneering”.
Electioneering is defined outside the regulated period as “explicitly seeks support for the re-election of a member or party, explicitly encourages party membership or explicitly solicits financial support”.
This pamphlet pushes those boundaries to the max. I am unsure it has a parliamentary purpose – it does not mention Parliament at all, or any specific law. It is basically 100% propaganda.
The front half is simply a photo and what appears to be a campaign slogan.
The second half gets close to soliciting for votes (implicit not explicit though) saying “Things have got tougher under the National Government but Labour has a plan for the people of Waitakere and all New Zealanders”.
There’s a not a single word about what Carmel has done for the community, about how you can approach her office for assistance, about any local issues. It is 100% a rant against National and a list of campaign slogans.
In fact an identical pamphlet could run in every seat. Perhaps that is the case? Has any readers received similar?