63 of our 121 MPs have passed the Electoral Finance Bill - and changed the way New Zealanders can participate in elections.
KEY POINTS:
* The votes of MPs from the Labour Party, New Zealand First, the Greens, and the Progressives yesterday enabled the legislation stifling free speech in election year to pass its final hurdle in Parliament.
* Restrictions imposed by the new law take effect in 12 days.
* Today, only political parties have controls on election campaign spending, for three months before the poll.
* From next month, non-political "third parties" and all individuals are subject to controls for almost the entire year before an election.
* Citizens must now register with the state - through the Electoral Commission - if they want to spend $12,000 or more on advertising a cause which might influence voters, even if their message does not name a party or candidate.
* The "regulated period" law prevents individuals and groups spending more than $120,000.
* Political parties will be allowed to spend 20 times as much as that to promote their messages.
* Political parties will also be able to use taxpayers' money from their parliamentary budgets to communicate with voters well beyond that limit.
* Political parties will retain taxpayer-funded broadcasting rights worth millions.
* Anonymous donations above $1000 paid directly to political parties or third parties in election year will be unlawful. Donors above that amount will be required to deal with the Electoral Commission.
* The Electoral Finance Bill now only requires the formality of the Governor-General's signature to become law.
* There is no provision in the bill for its changes to be reviewed.
