Donation disclosure threshold for parties ‘too high’
AN Otago public law specialist says the scandal embroiling the National Party shows the donation disclosure threshold for party donations is too high — but it remains to be seen whether opposition leader Simon Bridges has broken the law.
Party donations of more than $15,000 are required to be declared under the Electoral Act, but the threshold for anony mous donations to candidates is much lower at $1500.
University of Otago law professor Andrew Geddis said the level for anonymous donations to political parties should be reduced and ‘‘brought in line with the threshold for candidate donations’’.
Outgoing National MP JamiLee Ross has alleged Opposition leader Simon Bridges tried to disguise a $100,000 donation from businessman Yikun Zhang.
Prof Geddis said the tape released by JamiLee Ross on Wednesday night was not incriminating per se, but if the money was found to originate from one person rather different people Mr Ross and Mr Bridges would be parties to an offence committed under the Electoral Act — providing they procured that action.
‘‘Equally, if they know of any such ruse, they would be required to inform the party secretary when transmitting the donations to the party. If they did not do so, then that also would be an offence.’’
It was not clear the offences involved carried jail time — and if they did, it would be ‘‘highly unlikely a jail sentence would be imposed’’.
If Mr Zhang had colluded with other people to enable his donation to be passed across as though it came from another person, he might be party to an offence.
‘‘However there is no actual evidence that he has done so, and JamiLee Ross himself has said that Mr Zhang is not guilty of any wrongdoing.’’