Green Party Illegally Using Taxpayer Money to Campaign
9 AUGUST 2017 - The Taxpayers’ Union has laid a complaint against two Green Party Parliamentary (taxpayer funded) staff for using election advertisements
funded by Parliamentary Services to campaign - and continuing to do so when the illegality was pointed out to them by
members of the Union.
On last Wednesday’s ‘Back Benches’ TV show, a group of Green Party staff and activists had Green Party advertisements
and large Green Party flags carrying the Parliamentary Services crest - election advertisements which are strictly
prohibited during the regulated campaign period (see http://www.elections.org.nz/mp-handbook/part-5-mps-and-parliamentary-service-funding).
“It’s not the amount of taxpayers’ money which is the issue - probably only a few hundred dollars - it is the
shamelessness of these people breaking the rules around Parliamentary Services funding.”
“The Greens are the first to cry foul whenever their political opponents misuse money. We backed them up on their valid
criticisms of National using taxpayer money to hush Todd Barclay’s former staff. There should not be a double standard."
“Here, even after it was pointed out to Green Party staffers that what they were doing was illegal, they continued to
proudly use taxpayer-funded resources to win votes. It is what got Labour into trouble in 2005 over the pledge cards,
and we look forward to the Greens paying the taxpayer back.”
Speaker David Carter has responded to the complaint, lodged last week by the Taxpayers' Union, informing that he has asked the Parliamentary Service to conduct an investigation.
ENDS