7. LYNNE PILLAY (Labour—Waitakere) Link to this
to the Minister of Justice
What is the Government doing to reform New Zealand’s electoral system to protect it from abuse?
Hon MARK BURTON (Minister of Justice) Link to this
Yesterday I introduced a Government bill that aims to make our electoral system fairer and more transparent, and to safeguard it from abuse. The flagrant abuse of our electoral system that saw the undue influence of big money from secretive groups in the 2005 campaign must be stemmed. That is something New Zealanders have known since 1895, when the first limits on election spending were introduced. This bill reforms the system to make sure that a level playing field is in place for 2008, and that we continue to have an electoral system that New Zealanders can have confidence in.
What does the bill do to ensure that the voices of New Zealanders who want to get involved in elections are not overwhelmed by those who can spend the most?
Hon Dr Nick SmithI say to Mr Smith that it gives the referees, such as the Chief Electoral Officer, more tools and tougher penalties for those who would choose to break the rules. The bill will effectively extend what is known as the regulated period for campaign spending, thus restricting to a fair and reasonable level the influence of the already capped campaign spending during an election year. This Government, and some other parties in Parliament, want to restore and maintain trust in our electoral system and to deliver a level playing field for all.
Jeanette Fitzsimons Link to this
If this bill is passed as it stands, will individuals and corporations still be able to make unlimited anonymous donations to political parties—yes or no?
Although the matter relating to donations has been referred to the independent review, which I also announced yesterday, it is certainly the case that the spending limits will be extended to 1 January in an election year, thereby ensuring that although donations will indeed be able to be made, the ability of any party to be grossly overfunded to the point that it overwhelms proper debate will be curtailed. In the end, in New Zealand we want our elections to be a contest of ideas, not a contest of bank accounts.
Rt Hon Winston Peters Link to this
What is to be done about those parties that have sought to use mates’ rates in campaigns to disguise the true, real and actual cost of expenditure, so that one-tenth of the cost can be entered into an electoral return and claimed to be within the law; what does the bill propose to do about that—
Hon Maurice Williamson Link to this
They have to have proper and reasonable costs. He’s got it wrong.
Madam SPEAKERRt Hon Winston Peters Link to this
I am trying to finish the question but Maurice, who knows everything about everything, is finishing it for me. What will happen to so-called business rates under the new law, as proposed; will they be fair and actual, or any old rate depending on who one’s mates are?
It is fair to say that the member who asked the question has unique experience of the unfairness that has been permitted under the current system. Under this bill, fair rates will be required—the apportionment of fair cost in value to donated goods and services—to ensure that, again, those with large bank accounts will not simply be able to overwhelm the voice of others and try to buy an election.