Act receives a further $100k election year boost from donors

The Act Party's Jamie Whyte. Photo / Natalie Slade

The Act Party has received big recent donations, $45,000 from privately owned agricultural equipment firm Gallagher Group and $56,000 from Dame Jenny Gibbs, the former wife of party founder Alan Gibbs.

Filings published on the Electoral Commission website today show Hamilton based Gallagher Group donated $15,000 to Act in late December followed by a further $30,000 late last month. Gallagher made donations totaling $86,000 to National during 2011.

Dame Jenny had made monthly donations of $500 to Act between April last year and last month and a further $50,000 on March 14.

Her donations are on top of the $100,000 paid to Act by her former husband last month and $110,000 he paid to the party in 2011.

In other recent updates on party donation, the commission revealed that Colin Craig's Conservative Party received $75,000 from Hamilton couple Laurence and Katrina Day last month.

The National Party was also in the money last month, receiving a total of $35,000 from Mainfreight founder Bruce Plested over the last year including $20,000 in the last month.

Mr Plested also donated $25,000 to the Maori Party's Pita Sharples for the 2011 election campaign.