17 May 2002

Return of National Party donations for the 1996 year

The Electoral Commission will not be taking any further action about donations Fay Richwhite made to the National Party in 1996.

The Chief Executive of the Commission, Paul Harris, said today that the Director General of the National Party had confirmed that two separate cheques were received by Mr Geoff Thompson in his capacity as National Party President, the first on 6 March 1996 and the second on 29 March 1996.

Dr Harris said the law requiring disclosure of donations made to registered political parties came into force on 1 April 1996 and did not cover donations received by or on behalf of a party before that date.

He said that the information provided by National’s Director General shows that the donations from Fay Richwhite did not need to be included in the National Party’s return of national donations for 1996.

ENDS

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