KEY POINTS:
The Green Party has laid complaints with the Electoral Commission and police as National's opponents line up to point out alleged breaches of the Electoral Act revealed in the book The Hollow Men.
Greens co-leader Russel Norman said Nicky Hager's book presented "considerable evidence" that National's leadership was aware of the identity of major donors, but had not declared their names in their annual returns to the Electoral Commission.
Under electoral law parties must make an annual return.
Most of National's funding is channelled through five trusts - operated by law firms - meaning only the identity of the trust rather than individual donors are revealed.
But Hager's book reveals correspondence indicating the identity of many of the large donors was well known by former leader Don Brash, his advisers, and party president Judy Kirk.
Dr Norman said if that was the case then National was guilty of an "illegal or corrupt practice" under the Electoral Act.
"For a party which has made such hay over the alleged corrupt practices of others it is time for National to acknowledge its own transgressions."
He said it was unlikely police could prosecute National over any breach given legal provisions that a prosecution must begin within six months of the annual return being received.
It is seven months since National filed its 2005 return.
However, he said the police and the Electoral Commission needed to get to the bottom of the matter.
Labour Party president Mike Williams said the book revealed what appeared to be numerous breaches of the Electoral Act.
"I found about nine in the first half of the book," he said.
Labour would release its analysis once it had received a "proper legal opinion".
Mr Williams said the most serious issues appeared to be false statements that were made to statutory officials.
Deputy Prime Minister Michael Cullen said Labour would ask Auditor-General Kevin Brady to look into claims people hired specifically for National's election campaign were paid from parliamentary funds.
Prime Minister Helen Clark said Hager's book showed "breathtaking cynicism" within the National Party and Labour was considering legal action.
However, Dr Brash and National's former deputy Gerry Brownlee have attacked Hager's credibility, saying his portrayal of events was piecemeal and inaccurate.
New National leader John Key also said he could not reconcile Mr Hager's portrayal of events with documents held by his electorate office.
He had received one email from the Brethren in August on health policy, which he did not open because a church member had already told him of its contents.
His office had no record of a May 24 email or letter, as claimed by Hager.
Dr Brash said he never saw the May 24 email, which he assumed was sent to an indirect email address and was forwarded by a staff member to National's campaign manager Steven Joyce.
But Hager said: "I have the email where Don Brash forwarded it to Steven Joyce.
"There is no question about Don Brash having it. And he discussed it with his staff. There is no wriggle room."
- NZPA
