Nats declare $10.4m election war chest
Donations from rich-listers help boost party’s record haul last year
The National Party has disclosed a massive $10.4 million in donations in its election-year haul for 2023, more than double the amount declared by any other party and believed to be the most taken in one year.
The Electoral Commission released the political parties’ annual donations returns yesterday, including donors of more than $5000 and the sum of smaller donations. Parties only have to disclose donations of more than $20,000 immediately.
National’s war chest totalled $10.4m, while Labour raised less than half of that with $4.8m. The Act Party declared $4.3m, the Green Party $3.3m and NZ First $1.8m.
Te Pāti Māori disclosed $161,000 — by far the least of any of the parties in Parliament. Te Pāti Māori president John Tamihere was the party’s biggest donor, giving $50,000.
National’s $10.4m haul followed it receiving $5m in 2022 — the record for any year at the time — after securing several large donations from richlisters and businesses.
Disclosure thresholds have been lowered since the last election, so parties have to disclose donors of more than $5000 (it was $15,000 before).
National Party
National’s return showed it got $6m in donations of less than $5000 and a further $4m in donations of more than $5000. It also took in $363,000 as donations protected from disclosure — donations which are sent to the Electoral Commission to pass on to the parties without telling them who the donors are.
The returns show National returned its second-highest donation of $200,000 to Buen Holdings Limited on August 23 last year, one day after a Newsroom article linked the donor to a migrant hostel being investigated by Auckland Council and Tenancy Services after complaints the site was being used unlawfully.
The Herald in May last year revealed investigations were taking place into conditions at the East Auckland property, but the company’s link to the National Party was not referenced.
National Party president Sylvia Wood said in a statement it was “prudent” to return the Buen Holdings donation after the party learned of the investigation.
Regarding the overall level of donations, Wood said the party was grateful and noted the average donation amount was $136.
Among National’s previously undisclosed donors were $18,950 from Auckland businessman Leo Molloy, $13,500 from Xero founder Rod Drury, and $11,600 from former MP Hamish Walker.
It got $20,000 from AJR Finance, which has also donated to NZ First and whose director has links to a quarrying company that was among those sent letters about the Government’s proposed fast-track consenting process.
Hamilton-based Montana Catering donated $17,848.80 across nine instalments. In March, BusinessDesk reported Montana Catering as one of the businesses involved in the Ka Ora, Ka Ako school lunch programme that Act’s David Seymour intends to reduce funding for. Montana Catering, which delivered lunches to 31 schools in the Auckland and Waikato regions, reportedly received about $48m, or 8 per cent of total external funding since 2021, the second highest amount behind Libelle Group.
National’s largest donation was $500,000 from Auckland businessman Warren Lewis, which was disclosed in June. Its second largest was from Graeme Hart’s Rank Group ($150,000).
Other large donors included richlister property developer Trevor Farmer ($50,000), Christopher & Banks LTD ($100,000) — a company directed by Christopher Huljich, and philanthropists Brendan and Jo Lindsay ($100,000). Farmer had also given $200,000 to the Act Party and $50,000 to NZ First.
Act Party
Act’s return includes a $13,875 donation from Sean Colgan, the businessman who loaned Act leader David Seymour a plane, dubbed Flying Pinky, to use on the campaign.
Seymour had said at the time that the value of the lease of the plane for the occasions it was used would be disclosed as a donation in the annual returns. Its return also includes $18,000 from Pavlovich Coachlines, which provided the large pink bus Act used. Bernard Pavlovich also made separate financial donations totalling $6000.
Parties have to disclose donations of goods and services as well as money.
Act’s newly disclosed donors include sailing giant Sir Russell Coutts ($11,000) and Wellington-based Caniwi Capital founder Troy Bowker ($15,000).
It has already disclosed donations from a number of rich listers — including Graeme Hart, Farmer, Align Farm Investments, Peter Huljich’s Christopher and Banks, Murray Chandler David Richwhite and Neale Underdown. Its largest donation was from regular Act backer, Dame Jenny Gibbs ($155,000).
Labour Party
Labour’s total included tens of thousands of dollars in fortnightly donations from its own MPs.
Over 2023, former prime minister and Labour leader Dame Jacinda Ardern made regular donations worth $13,954.
Current leader Chris Hipkins donated $22,790, while deputy Carmel Sepuloni donated $14,336.82. The rest of the caucus donated between $5000 and $12,000.
Artist Dick Frizzell gave $13,850 — likely the donation of an artwork for Labour’s auction fundraiser. Property developer Mark Todd gave $50,000 and gym entrepreneur Phillip Mills gave $50,000.
Former MP Pete Hodgson chipped in $24,912, while former prime minister Helen Clark gave $11,200.
Labour general secretary Rob Salmond said it was not surprising parties were reporting higher levels of donations given the change to the disclosure threshold.
“Labour attracted a higher number of donations than any other party, receiving for example over 52,000 smaller donations compared to National’s 44,000. National raised more than twice as much money as Labour despite having fewer donations, which is no surprise when their policies favour the already welloff over those doing it tough.”
NZ First
NZ First received $200,000 from richlister property developer Mark Wyborn, the party’s highest donation.
A total of $182,167 came from the estate of Hugh Barr, an environmentalist and tramper who died in 2021.
Vlad Barbalich, a Wellington property developer who formerly helped fund defunct political party Democracy NZ, gave $145,000.
Billionaire Graeme Hart’s Rank Group Limited contributed $110,000 in two separate donations.
Green Party
The Greens recorded regular tithes from MPs, with most giving close to $20,000, while the co-leaders gave close to $30,000.
Titanic and Avatar director James Cameron and wife, actor Suzy Cameron, gave $50,000. Mark Todd and Phillip Mills, who also donated to Labour, gave $20,000 and $50,000 respectively.
South Island knitting company, Weft, gave $100,000.