Secret trusts pour cash into National's coffers

The National Party got more than twice as much money in declarable donations last year as Labour did - the bulk of it through secret trusts which protect the anonymity of the donor.

The official donation register was released yesterday by the Electoral Commission.

Only donations over $10,000 must be declared, meaning that in the case of some parties large sums of additional money can be donated without being declared.

The Act Party, which spent $966,000 in the previous election, received only $32,000 in declarable donations last year. The party has previously had a practice of purposely soliciting donations of less than $10,000.

New Zealand First and United Future both spent reasonable sums, but had nil returns.

Despite National's edge in declarable donations, Labour outspent National in last year's election campaign, spending almost $2.8 million compared with National's $2.1 million.

Labour's largest registered donor was Sydney-based expatriate businessman Owen Glenn, who gave $300,000.

Unions contributed $160,000.

Most of National's money was channelled through six trusts, guaranteeing anonymity for individual donors.

Both National and Act have traditionally used such trusts to collect donations in the past.

Last year the largest such sum was for $1.25 million from the Waitemata Trust.

National's president, Judy Kirk, said yesterday that she knew little about the Waitemata Trust.

"It was set up to support centre-right campaigns and we apply to them and ask them for funding. I don't know how it's done, I don't know who they are. They've been doing it for years."

Labour reported just over $300,000 of donations as "anonymous".

Critics have frequently called for an overhaul of the rules governing the declaration of donations, which they say lack transparency.

Several companies donated to more than one party. Sky City Holdings donated $60,000 each to National and Labour and $12,000 each to Act and the Progressives.

Westpac Banking gave $30,000 each to National and Labour. Toll NZ paid $25,000 each to the two major parties.

Labour leader Helen Clark and Progressives leader Jim Anderton made donations of $11,000 and $17,000 respectively to their own parties. Several Green MPs made donations of more than $10,000 to their own party.

The register shows the Progressives received $60,000 in declarable donations, the Maori Party $32,000, the Greens $143,000 and Destiny New Zealand $31,000.


Who got what

* National $1.88 million
* Labour $930,000
* Greens $143,000
* Progressives $60,000
* Act $32,000
* Maori Party $32,000
* Destiny NZ $31,000

- STAFF REPORTER, NZPA