Auditor-General Kevin Brady has stuck to his guns and found parties unlawfully spent just over $1 million last election.
Speaker Margaret Wilson has devised a voluntary solution that puts the onus and the heat directly where it belongs - on the parties.
Labour held its position until today for maximum impact and will pay the money back.
But Michael Cullen's endorsement of a private legal opinion dissenting from the Auditor-General smacks of being a very poor loser.
Labour will quietly applaud the belligerent and litigious New Zealand First leader Winston Peters who is seriously contemplating a legal challenge over his $150,000 of unlawful spending.
The heat will also go on United Future which pulled a crafty stunt yesterday offering to repay $5000 when its debt was closer to $60,000.
The parties have until next Wednesday to tell the Speaker whether they will voluntarily refund the Parliamentary Service or whether they will thumb their noses at the Auditor-General.
They do so at their peril.
<i>Audrey Young</i>: Political editor on fallout
Opinion by Audrey Young
Audrey Young, Senior Political Correspondent at the New Zealand Herald based at Parliament, specialises in writing about politics and power.
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