The last week ended with some unexpected positive news for the Labour Party.
A new Dominion Post poll shows it has crept up to within five percent of National in terms of party support and there is apparent deadlock between left and right.
This poll result came about after a tough week for Labour, and to a lesser extent, Jim Anderton.
Electoral Finance Bill Raises Public Ire
The furor over the Electoral Finance Bill got onto the front-page of the New Zealand Herald last Monday when the paper, in a rare move, rallied against the Bill.
Critics dismissed the Herald's actions, pointing out their editorial pre-empted the announcement of the Bill's amended form, now that select committee submissions have been taken into account.
The Herald shot back that no matter what changes are made, the Bill still limits the basic democratic rights New Zealanders presently enjoy.
Obviously around 2000 Aucklanders agree with the Herald, as that amount turned out for a protest rally held on Saturday against the Bill.
Media also seem to have pre-empted the changes that will be made to the Bill. A Ministry of Justice official confirmed this for The Epoch Times when they said that what is in the newspapers is about right.
Quickly, changes likely to be made include doubling the amount a registered third-party is allowed to spend on electioneering to $120,000 and tightening the wording of what is considered to be an election advertisement.
As with any such legislation, ways can be found to get around provisions.
One submitter to the recent select committee hearing on this Bill said it will be possible for members of an organisation to register as separate third-parties and run parallel campaigns.
This Bill will likely come before the house next week, as the government is keen to invoke it into law, especially with the period of regulation due to start on 1 January. It is expected to pass.
Bill Allows Parliamentary Funds for Electioneering
Parallel to this was the passing last week of the convolutedly named Appropriation (Continuation of Interim Meaning of Funding for Parliamentary Purposes) Bill.
This means that it is all go again for parties to use their parliamentary funds to engage in electioneering and the Office of the Auditor-General will not be able to do anything about it aside from writing reports.
Rather forgotten about amid all the election system debate was the passing of the Terrorism Suppression Amendment Bill, which survived its third reading on Wednesday with support from both major parties.
Report Out on Setchell Affair
Also, last week saw the release of the long-awaited State Services Commission report on the Madeleine Satchell affair.
Unsurprisingly, Hugh Logan and Mark Prebble were criticized for their roles in proceedings, although Prebble at least appears to have tried to maintain the neutrality of the public service.
What was surprising though is the revelation that Jim Anderton also directed the fisheries chief executive not to hire Satchell.
Remember though that David Benson-Pope was not sacked because he tried to remove Setchell from her position, he lost his position because he misled the Prime Minister about doing so.
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