Murray McCully
National Party MP

17 March 2006

Decision on overspending ‘gutless cop-out’

National Party MP Murray McCully says the decision not to charge the Labour Party with its deliberate and blatant breaches of the Electoral Act is a “gutless cop-out”.

Mr McCully says the Labour Party must now qualify for listing in the Guinness Book of Records for notching up prima facie cases which never get to prosecution.

“This is Paintergate, Speeding-gate and David Benson-Pope all over again. A prima facie case exists, but Labour is being let off the hook with a warning.

“These government departments have shown yet again they are too afraid to uphold the law if it involves their political masters.

“The evidence that the Labour Party intended to rort the campaign budget limits is to be found on their expenses return. The Police and Crown Law seem to be the only people in New Zealand who cannot see it.

“The Electoral Act provisions are an important pillar of our constitutional democracy which should have attracted the support of the Police and other enforcement authorities.

“In that regard they have failed our system of Parliamentary democracy and they have failed New Zealanders,” says Mr McCully.

ENDS

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