INDEPENDENT NEWS

2011 Broadcasting Allocation Decision Released

Published: Wed 1 Jun 2011 11:42 AM
MEDIA ADVISORY
Wednesday 1 June 2011
Electoral Commission
Te Kaitiaki Take Kōwhiri
2011 Broadcasting Allocation Decision Released
The Electoral Commission has released its decision on the amount of time and money allocated to political parties for the broadcasting of election programmes for the 2011 General Election.
The Commission’s decision is available online at www.elections.org.nz and is summarised below. Fifteen parties are eligible to receive an allocation of time and money for the 2011 General Election. A total of 72 minutes has been made available for opening addresses and 60 minutes for closing addresses by both TVNZ and RNZ. The amount of money appropriated by Parliament for the broadcasting allocation is $2.855 million excluding GST (the same as for the 2005 and 2008 elections). The amounts shown in the table below include GST.
PartiesMonetary allocation (inclusive of GST)Time allocation of opening addresses (in minutes)Time allocation for closing addresses (in minutesNew Zealand Labour Party (Labour Party)$1,150,0002016The New Zealand National Party (National Party)$1,150,0002016The Green Party of Aotearoa/New Zealand (Green Party)$300,0008 7ACT New Zealand (ACT Party)$160,00054Maori Party$160,00054New Zealand First (NZ First)$100,00032.5 United Future New Zealand (United Future)$100,000325 The Alliance (Alliance)$20,00011Aotearoa Legalise Cannabis Party (ALCP)$20,00011Coalition of New Zealanders$20,00011The Kiwi Party (Kiwi Party)$20,00011Libertarianz$20,00011New Zealand Sovereignty Party$20,00011Pirate Party of New Zealand$20,00011World Peace Party$20,00011Radio New Zealand (RNZ)$3,250 - - Total allocated$3,283,2507260Total available$3,283,2507260
The process for determining the broadcasting allocation is set out in Part 6 of the Broadcasting Act 1989. A party is only eligible for the broadcasting allocation if:
(a) the party is registered on the Register of Political Parties by 20 October 2011 (the date for dissolution of Parliament), and
(b) the party has given notice to the Electoral Commission that the party considers itself to be qualified for an allocation by the date required by the Electoral Commission (the deadline was 17 March 2011).
The Electoral Commission must allocate the time provided by TVNZ and RNZ and the money appropriated by Parliament to eligible parties in accordance with the statutory criteria, which are:
(a) the number of persons who voted at the preceding general election for a party and its candidates;
(b) the number of persons who voted at any by-election held since the preceding general election for any candidate for the party;
(c) the number of members of Parliament who were members of a political party immediately before the expiration or dissolution of Parliament;
(d) any relationships that exist between one political party and another party;
(e) any other indications of public support for a political party such as the results of opinion polls and the number of persons who are members of the party;
(f) the need to provide a fair opportunity for each registered political party to convey its policies to the public by the broadcasting of election programmes on television.
The Commission may vary the allocation decision under certain circumstances provided for in the Broadcasting Act 1989, including, for example, if a party fails to register as a registered political party by 20 October 2011.
More information about the broadcasting allocation process is available at
http://elections.org.nz/files/Broadcasting_allocation_decision_31_May_2011.pdf
[Scoop copy: Broadcasting_allocation_decision_31_May_2011.pdf]
ENDS

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