Readers' views: MPs should pay bill for election spending

Readers are almost unanimous: they believe that the Labour Party should repay $446,000 that taxpayers spent on the election pledge card. And they say the same rule applies to MPs. Politicians - and not the public - should foot the bill for election spending. Here is a sample of responses to the issue of taxpayer-funded election publicity.

This feedback is now closed. Thanks to all those who contributed their views.

Of course it's all right for Helen and her mates not to pay their bills. Dictators don't have to. It's only the workers who try to stay out of debt. Of course, if the MPs involved had any sense of decency, they would pay their own bills and not expect us, the poor suffering taxpayer, to pay for them.
- Trevor Brockelbank

If Labour weasels its way out of this particular scandal and its support levels remain as they are, then it does not bode well for the future of our democracy. Personally, I'm joining the brain drain earlier than I thought and getting out until we have an honest government in place driven by New Zealand's interests rather its own.
- James Christmas

Damn right they should pay it back.
- Glen Flounder

Yes, I agree with your article. The parties should repay their debt.
- Craig Manning

Taxpayers should not be paying for election campaign activities or materials beyond the level of funding formally allowed by Parliament.
Sitting members have considerable advantages over non-MPs in any campaign. There is no justification for expecting taxpayers to fund their personal campaign strategy.
- Maureen Corry

Definitely. The wording in your article is completely unambiguous, and the pledge card is nothing but electioneering; it has no other possible purpose. But given Labour has presided over the greatest decline in standards of parliamentary conduct in NZ history (Phillip Field being only the latest example) it is clear they won't rely on their consciences to find the stimulus to pay it back.
- Guy Mayo

Helen Clark should stop splitting hairs. If she wants MPs to have any credibility then she should lead from the front - not "follow me, I'll be right behind you".
- Greg Giles

Yes, they should pay it back plus interest at a penalty rate and prosecuted for misuse of Government funds. Michael Head Yes indeed, the Labour Party should pay back the money - as should any other party in such a dispute. For Helen Clark to think that she is above the law is abhorrent.
- S. Aucutt

Yes, all MPs should repay the overspending. They knew the limits before the election. This makes it one law for them and a different one for the rest of the country. They should not be allowed to alter legislation to correct this, especially after an election.
- Russell Johnston

The rules seem clear to me - they tried to rip off the system. Surely Helen and the other transgressors (with their fancy university degrees) can read.
- Barbara McLaughlan

Perhaps more to the point, why is a solo mum, working two jobs and making a contribution to society (as opposed to sitting on the benefit drinking beer) penalised for the IRD's mistake? A measly $3000 compared to the Government's $446,000. Does the IRD really need the $3000? As Diane Potter says: "You just have to pay it back." Australia is looking better all the time.
- Joanne Clare

Labour should definitely have to pay back the money to the taxpayer. This is the same for the MPs. Why should the taxpayer have to foot the bill? It's not our campaign, so we should not pay for it. It always seems to be one rule (in favour of) for politicians and one rule for the taxpayers.
- Adam Roys

Yes, I think that the Labour Party should pay back every penny that they have overspent, as it shows the general public that they think they are above the law and, I might add, dishonest. If they don't pay they should not expect everyone else to pay up when their staff members at the Government agencies have made the mistake and become righteous about it.
- Yvonne Hughes

The funding of the Labour pledge card using public money is theft by a servant. Repayment is necessary but there should also be prosecution.
- B. Duncan

Thanks for running the story of Diane Potter. There is too much of this from Government departments. I am on the receiving end of Land Transport NZ "selling" debt to Baycorp for "unpaid registration" for a vehicle that failed a warrant of fitness test with nine months' registration credit. We believe we returned the plates, they now say prove it, and say they never make mistakes. We are talking 3 1/2 years from the WOF failing to Baycorp ringing! Could any other business get away with this? Keep up the good work. Our Government and its departments are getting out of hand.
- John Davies

I am sick of paying for the politicians' spendthrift ways. So yes, they should repay the money illegally spent.
- D. Kent

The Government's actions must never be beyond the bounds of justice. Equally, any parties who have breached spending limits should immediately repay any taxpayers' money and be censured commensurate with the scale of the offence. No member of the public or organisation would ever mount a successful defence based on "the laws weren't as clear as they should be and, anyway, everyone was doing it".
- Mario McMillan

No. It raises the issue of who pays to have a democracy, which we all say is the best system. If it is, why should a few be responsible for raising funds? There should be state funding for elections with rules on how much is spent, with no donations from business and no private organisations or churches being allowed to campaign for or against any political party. Let us have true democracy.
- Graham Hill

The bizarre conjunction of a story about Diane Potter's Work and Income debt being compared with parties' overspending in the election does nothing to aid the discussion over the issues. Instead of attempting to paint this as some form of corruption on behalf of political parties maybe it could be mentioned that a small minority of people in New Zealand work hard to raise the money that pays for the election campaigns and for New Zealand's democracy. I don't recall the members or activists of political parties ever billing the taxpayer for the work they put in and the money they spend to ensure democracy continues.
- Meg Bates