Labour complains about business group campaign

The Chief Electoral Office has asked the police to investigate another Labour Party complaint alleging a business lobby group contributed to National's campaign spending.

If upheld, it is possible the spending could put National over its campaign limit. Labour faces the same possibility as a result of investigations into its election spending.

Deputy Chief Electoral Officer Robert Peden confirmed last night a Labour complaint about a roading "revupthegovt" campaign run by the Northern Employers and Manufacturers Association (EMA) had been sent to the police to investigate as a possible breach of the Electoral Act.

Section 221 of the act prohibits any advertising that encourages or appears to encourage anyone to vote for a political party without the authorisation of the party secretary.

National declared spending $2,128,028 on the election and was entitled to spend $2,240,000.

EMA northern chief executive Alasdair Thompson could not be reached last night about the campaign.

National deputy leader Gerry Brownlee said, "This is just the Labour Party clutching at straws."

He believed there had been no references to National in the campaign.

The police are also deciding whether to lay charges in relation to the anti-Labour and Green Party Exclusive Brethren pamphlets, calculated to be worth about $500,000.