KEY POINTS:
The jacked-up complaint about Act leader Rodney Hide's canary yellow jacket breaking electoral law will now be investigated by the police.
The Electoral Commission has ruled the jacket was potentially a breach of the Electoral Finance Act and referred the matter to police. The jacket, which had an Act logo and the slogan "the guts to do what's right" was deemed a "election advertisement" but did not carry a promoter statement as required by the act.
If there is a finding of "illegal practice", Mr Hide could be fined $10,000 and Act's financial agent $40,000.
Mr Hide started wearing the $1300 jacket in July to draw attention to the act.
When told of the complaint to the commission during the election campaign in November he milked the publicity, saying it showed the absurdity of the act and the Labour government that passed it. It was then revealed the complainant was 21-year-old Andy Moore, a University of Canterbury student and "strong Act supporter" who had proudly posed in photos with a yellow-coated Mr Hide and posted them on the internet.
Mr Hide is a minister outside cabinet in the National Government, but a spokesman for Prime Minister John Key last night said the police investigation did not threaten his ministerial warrant.
Mr Hide said he would help the police.
Mr Hide said he was "embarrassed" that the investigation was caused by a stunt, conceding that the public had a right to be "furious".
"But ultimately, the problem isn't the complaint, its the stupid bloody law."
Mr Hide said the sooner the Government got rid of the Electoral Finance Act the better.
In other rulings released yesterday, the Electoral Commission also referred Act to police for giving out a a leaflet in the Hunua electorate Sir Roger Douglas contested that urged people to vote for the party without having a promoter statement or formal authorisation from the party.
National MP Nicky Wagner was also referred to police for handing out a copy of her powerpoint presentation to a candidates meeting.
It suggested that people should vote for National and her, but did not contain proper authorisation.
