Submission on the Ministry of Justice's Electoral Finance Reform Issues Paper

June 2009 

Click here to download a printable version of this submssion (MS Word 271k)

Summary

The CTU is particularly concerned by the potential for wealthy individual and corporate interests to influence the electoral process, either through financial support for political parties (anonymously through secret trusts or overtly) or financing their own third party or parallel campaigns.

On this basis, the CTU supports caps on, and regulation of, donations to political parties and caps on, and regulation of, the spending on electoral advertising by third parties.

As a consequence the CTU generally supports an increase in the level of state funding for political parties.

The CTU supported much of the intent of the Electoral Finance Act, and in particular its stated purposes to, "prevent the undue influence of wealth on electoral outcomes," and, "provide greater transparency and accountability on the part of candidates, parties, and other persons engaged in election activities in order to minimise the perception of corruption".

Under the Electoral Finance Act the CTU registered as a third party for the 2008 General Election.  That experience identified some particular issues that the CTU would like to see acknowledged in any future electoral legislation.