Details emerge in murky NZ First donations

Four arrests, a murky slush fund, and rich donors allegedly hidden from electoral returns.

Donations scandals are threatening to upend the 2020 election, with two political parties facing scrutiny over allegations that could – at the very least – corrode the public’s trust.

Last week, four people were criminally charged in connection with National Party donations, after rogue MP Jami-Lee Ross blew up in front of cameras in 2018 claiming a $100,000 donation from a wealthy Chinese donor was improperly disguised.

But don’t forget the saga that continues to threaten NZ First and Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters.

The story, which Stuff broke open in November, has returned with new details about the donors being reported.

At the heart of the saga is the NZ First Foundation, an outfit headed by Peters’ personal lawyer, Brian Henry, and former party president Doug Woolerton.

Documents seen by Stuff showed large donations for the party were broken up and funnelled to the foundation, which spent it on campaigning, office furnishing, travel, consultants and legal advice.

Stuff has revealed donors include primary industry leaders, wealthy investors and multimillionaires.

Neither the large donations nor electoral spending appear to have been publicly declared, and former party members and office-holders say they were kept in the dark.

Peters has routinely said the party acted within the law.

Yet details of rich and undisclosed donors, that appear to have not been declared to the Electoral Commission by the party, continue to emerge.

Businessman Graeme Hart, New Zealand’s richest man, was reported by RNZ yesterday to have donated nearly $30,000 to the foundation, but in two instalments that fell just under the $15,000 threshold requiring disclosure.

Again, this poses the question at the centre of the saga: Are there a wealth of donations to the mysterious NZ First Foundation, never publicly disclosed, that fall foul of electoral laws?

An Electoral Commission investigation, launched after Stuff revealed details of the foundation, is ongoing.

Another investigation into donations has already turned up a result.

The Serious Fraud Office last week announced it would file criminal charges against four people in relations to donations made to the National Party.

Those charged will appear in the Auckland District Court on February 25.