Bill English MP
National Party Deputy Leader

5 August 2008

Taxpayers fund Labour's campaign

National Party Deputy Leader Bill English says that for the first time Labour has confirmed it is indeed campaigning on the public purse in the 2008 election.

"Labour is at it again, using taxpayer money in a bid to be re-elected, just as they did with the pledge card in 2005."

Mr English is referring to a document obtained by National under the Official Information Act. It refers to the taxpayer-funded Budget pamphlet titled 'A fair economy for a strong future'.

"For the first time, the General Secretary of the Labour Party has confirmed that pamphlet was an election advertisement, which was funded and produced by the Labour Leader's Office."

The letter (attached) reads: 'The pamphlet is an election advertisement on behalf of the Labour Party, which was produced by the Labour Leader's office on behalf of the Labour Party'.

Mr English says the Labour Party has become so brazen that the secretary of the party now openly acknowledges they are funding their campaign with taxpayer money.

"Once again, the New Zealand Labour Party appears to be using large chunks of taxpayer funded Parliamentary Service money to pay for election brochures.

"Helen Clark must now confirm that the party will include the brochure as an election expense, although that is no guarantee, since Labour promised to do that with the pledge card but changed its mind after the 2005 election.

"Now all four parties which supported the Electoral Finance Act have been found to have breached it, and three of them are being investigated by police.

"Labour's now executing the agenda which its self-serving Electoral Finance Act was designed to facilitate. All Kiwi taxpayers are now being forced to fund Labour's re-election campaign."

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