KEY POINTS:
The Electoral Commission is back to square one with the problem of whether the country's largest trade union can register to take part in the election campaign.
The commission initially agreed to register the Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing Union (EPMU) as a third party - an organisation which is not a political party - under the Electoral Finance Act.
That meant it could go ahead and spend up to $120,000 on campaign material in support of the Labour Party.
But the National Party went to court, and yesterday Justice Alan Mackenzie overturned the commission's decision and said the EPMU might come under a clause which would prevent it being registered.
The clause says third parties must not be involved in the administration of a political party.
The EPMU is affiliated to the Labour Party and its national secretary, Andrew Little, is Labour's affiliates vice-president.
Justice Mackenzie said it was not up to him to decide whether the EPMU was involved in the administration of the Labour Party.
"I express no opinion whatever on that question...it is not before me," he said in his ruling.
The matter is now back with the Electoral Commission.
Mr Little said his union would campaign for workers rights anyway and accused National of trying to gag free speech.
- NZPA
