Libertarianz declares 'Banana Republic Day'

Libertarianz has declared today "Banana Republic Day" in protest at retrospective spending legislation being rushed through Parliament.

Members of the group were due to be at Parliament from 12pm handing out bananas.

Party leader Bernard Darnton said: "In a breathtakingly arrogant move, [Prime Minister Helen] Clark has shown that she thinks she can get away with anything. Her actions are that of a banana republic dictator."

The legislation, which was being debated in parliament again today and is expected to be passed despite opposition from National, will scupper Darnton's attempt to bring a lawsuit against the Labour party.

It retrospectively legalises election spending which Auditor-General Kevin Brady has ruled was unlawful. He found Labour was the biggest offender.

Mr Darnton added: "Some will say that we have gone bananas. And of course we are quite mad - at Labour. Changing the law to escape charges against them is something I'd expect from a third-world dictatorship.

"Sadly, New Zealand has no constitutional protections to prevent this type of abuse by a government that is, quite literally, out of control."

Finance Minster Michael Cullen has argued the unlawful spending was not intentional and says the legislation is the "only way to remedy the unlawfulness".

- NZHERALD STAFF