5 April 2002

National is calling on the Speaker of the House to investigate Alliance Party funding arrangements as the Alliance's warring factions battle over the Party's finances.

Senior National Whip, John Carter, has written to the Speaker asking what steps will be taken to audit the ongoing use of the Alliance's parliamentary funding of $848,000.

"This is taxpayer funding we're talking about. Suggestions of a division of the Alliance's parliamentary funding have serious ramifications on the way Parliamentary issues are dealt with.

"Helen Clark has said she'll have to deal with two coalition partners which in plain terms means that, from a Parliamentary point of view, there'll be two different parties. This throws a whole new light on the allocation of taxpayer funds.

"National is demanding answers. Jim Anderton is personally responsible for more than $800,000 of taxpayer funding and it is illegal to use this money to set up a new party.

"The critical issue is the use of the Alliance Leader's taxpayer funding of $285,880. We also want to know about the Party Group taxpayer funding of $200,000 and how that is going to be allocated, and the ongoing administration of the Members' taxpayer funding of $362,800 for out-of-Parliament use.

"Jim Anderton, with the support of Helen Clark, has already shown arrogant disregard for the rules by manipulating his own party-hopping legislation. There's nothing to stop him now trying to break the funding rules," says John Carter.

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