Labour starts fundraising drive with $25 a ticket Zoom call

Jacinda Ardern has begun a Labour fundraising drive. Photo / AFP

Labour is getting back into fundraising mode, offering tickets to a Zoom call with Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern for $25.

An invite to the event welcomes prospective donors to Labour's 2022 Zoom fundraising series, with the first guest of the series being Ardern, who is billed as attending the event in her role as labour leader, rather than Prime Minister.

The invite has raised eyebrows on the political right, as the it promises people will "have a chance to ask [Ardern] about whatever you'd like", promising she would take questions on Thursday from 5.30pm to 7pm.

The episode drew some comparisons to former prime minister John Key's "Cabinet Club", where attendees paid up to $10,000 to speak with ministers, raising questions of "cash-for-access" fundraising.

This event, at $25 a ticket, is at a somewhat lower price point, and Ardern is billed as attending in her capacity as Labour leader, rather than Prime Minister or member of the Cabinet.

People will not necessarily be able to directly ask Ardern questions.

As it is likely there will be hundreds of questions, the questions will be grouped into themes, and the most popular questions will be put to Ardern.

It is not necessary to be a Labour member to attend the fundraiser.

Labour's general secretary Rob Salmond said "these kinds of events are entirely standard for many political parties and have happened for decades".

Other parties are also filling their coffers for next year.

Act leader David Seymour announced on Sunday donations totalling close to $1 million, $850,000 of which came from wealthy and prominent New Zealanders.

New Zealand's wealthiest man, Graeme Hart donated $100,000 to Act.

Alongside Hart, the big donors are Rod Drury, Craig Turner, Graham Edwards, Dame Jenny Gibbs, Murray Chandler, and John Harman, who donated $100,000 each.

Stephen Jennings, Grant Baker, and Mike Thorburn donated $50,000 each.

Political parties must declare the names of donors when they donate more than $15,000 to a party in a year. The donation must be declared within 10 working days if it is more than $30,000.

While National has enjoyed surging polling under new leader Christopher Luxon, it has not declared any donations over $30,000 under his leadership.