Thursday, January 10, 2008



Election funding: more deceit and fearmongering from DPF

Over at Kiwiblog, DPF dogwhistles up some outrage over an anti-Labour sign a reader has put up on his property, saying "it is of course illegal". What he fails to point out is that this has always been the case. Section 221A of the Electoral Act 1993 required any "advertisement relating to an election" to carry a statement setting out the name and address of its promoter. This is long-standing law, not a new imposition, and the Electoral Finance Act in fact narrows its application - such disclosure used to be required at all stages of the electoral cycle, but now is required only within the regulated period.

DPF knows all this - he managed National MP Mark Blumsky's campaign in 2005, and has a thorough knowledge of the law. But he'd clearly rather deliberately mislead his readership in an effort to monger fear. Which speaks for itself about his integrity.