Broadcasting Allocations
The Electoral Commission has released its funding decisions for broadcasting allocations. Sadly political parties are banned in law by being able to purchase broadcast advertisements. The get allocated an amount by the Commission, who have $3.2 million for this purpose.
The criteria the Commission use are:
- Party and electorate votes at the last election
- Votes at any by-elections since
- No of current MPs
- Any alliances (Mana-Internet)
- Polls
- Membership
- Fair opportunities
I’ve done a little table showing the amount allocated to the main parties, and comparing it to their party vote last time, and the average in the public polls since the election (up until when the Commission met).
These are not the only two criteria, but it is interesting to look at the results. Based on vote at the last elections National and Conservatives get a $1 per vote. Labour, Greens and NZ First $1.36 to $1.62 and the smaller parties $3 to $5. This is pretty standard that the smaller parties get proportionally a bit more.
In terms of dollars per average % in the polls, National gets $23,000 per %, Labour $28,000, Greens $33,000, Conservatives $38,000 and NZ First 38,000.