(Embargoed until 12:30 AM Monday 11 June)

Major figures back review of political finance laws.

Some of New Zealand's most senior retired constitutional office holders support a symposium organized by Transparency International New Zealand and the Institute of Policy Studies at Victoria University of Wellington. The Symposium will review the country's election spending and political party funding rules. The list of people endorsing the symposium is headed by former Governor General Dame Silvia Cartwright and includes retired senior figures from both major political parties, Rt. Hon. Mike Moore and Hon. Russell Marshall, Sir Douglas Graham and Hon. Doug Kidd as well as one of the country's senior retired judges, Rt. Hon. Edward Thomas.

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We the undersigned support the symposium on the Funding of Political Parties and Election Campaigns being run by Transparency International New Zealand and the Institute of Policy Studies.

It is essential for the well being of New Zealand's democracy that the rules governing electoral spending and the financing of political parties are accepted and respected by all citizens and that New Zealand has an electoral agency able to protect the integrity of our electoral process.

The symposium is an important step in ensuring transparency in our electoral system.

The Rt. Hon. Dame Silvia Cartwright - Former Governor General

The Rt. Hon. Mike Moore - Former Prime Minister and Director General of the

World Trade Organisation

The Hon. Doug Kidd - Former Speaker of the House of Parliament

The Rt. Hon. Sir Douglas Graham - Former Minister of Justice and of Treaty

Settlements

The Hon. Russell Marshall - Former Minister of Foreign Affairs and of

Education

The Rt. Hon. Edward Thomas - Former Judge of the Court of Appeal and former

Acting Judge of the Supreme Court.

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Speakers at the Symposium include current or former Presidents of all but one of the parties represented in Parliament, the Chief Executive of the Electoral Commission, New Zealand academics and the author of a recent book on party funding and electoral spending from Australia. The Symposium is chaired by the former Chief Executive of the Electoral Commission Dr Paul Harris.

The symposium is being run by Transparency International New Zealand and the Institute of Policy Studies at Victoria University and is funded by Transparency International New Zealand and the New Zealand Political Studies Association.

The Symposium will be held at Victoria University's Kelburn campus on June 15.

ENDS

See...
Election Symposium Programme (PDF)
TI NZ Mission Statement (PDF)

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