Election Funding Policy – NZ Outdoors Party

Our Vision: We want to create a country where we are admired by the world not just because of our wonderful natural environment, but because of the way we live. A way of life that protects and enhances that environment.

This policy and associated papers are copyright. NZ Outdoors Party. 2017

We cannot have democracy unless our people are educated on all options that are available and the implications of those options. Currently almost all of election campaign funds are allocated to the two major parties. Other registered electoral parties get only a very tiny percentage of available funding. this is not sufficient to make their policies known to New Zealand voters. in addition the mainstream media tends to focus on the policies of the two main parties. In addition many political parties are funded by multinational and other corporations and by overseas persons who have vested interests in manipulating New Zealand policies for the own interests rather than for the good of New Zealanders.

STOP donations designed to buy influence

The Outdoors Party will prohibit any electoral funding or donation by any person or entity that is not a registered voter on a New Zealand electoral roll. Any donation over $100 must be declared and must be made only by a person who is a registered member of that political party. This is to prevent individuals from effectively buying policies from multiple parties. This means that no funds can be contributed by any corporations, overseas persons or any other entity that is not a real person and registered to vote in New Zealand.

Make electoral funding fair

There will be a review of the current mechanisms of allocating funding to ensure that they are much more fairly allocated between all registered political parties.

Making Electoral Commission changes to increase public debate and engagement

The 2017 election campaign’s policy debate hit an all time low. The campaign was marred by a lack of media analysis of policy, an overwhelming focus on personality and the deliberate use of slanted facts and spin. The continual drip-feed of policy means we are never able to marshal all the policies in one place for a real comparison. This makes rational choice for voters increasingly difficult. The Outdoors Party wants the people of our nation to have more power in politics so will push for the following changes.

1)      Only donations to political parties from those who can vote in New Zealand – in other words, no donations from overseas interests or corporations.

2)      No roadside electoral campaign advertising – this just demonstrates who has the most funding and creates enormous amount of waste without adding knowledge or awareness of policy or what the person stands for.

3)      Parties submit all policy to the electoral commission well before the
election

4)      The Electoral Commission supplies a spreadsheet to the public and media with each party’s policies and the mechanisms by which they will be
implement, costed independently and presented in a standard format,
along with current practise in the same spreadsheet so that each voter
can see what changes are proposed. The standard format would allow
real comparisons of policies.


(5) The current system of allocated broadcasting time to each party
would continue, now to be used to explain and debate policy
spreadsheets. The spreadsheets would focus debate on policy
After a complete electoral term, we will be able to compare the current
practises with the original policies, providing an invaluable ‘score card’
for the incumbent government and allowing voters to see just what has
and hasn’t been achieved.


(6) The Electoral Commission would be charged with making the policy
comparison template in order to present policy in the most meaningful
way to voters. Immediately following each election, the commission
would take public submissions on the structure of the policy template.

These changes to our system would lead to increased public debate and
engagement with politics and better informed voting.

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Alan Simmons

Alan Simmons

President & Co-Leader Alan has dedicated a lifetime of involvement in outdoors political issues. He’s sat on a number of national body executives, boards, NGO and management groups, including the NZ Professional Hunting Guides Association, Electricorp Environmental Management Board, NZ Federation of Freshwater Anglers and the NZ Professional Fishing Guides Association. Many will know him through his website, the hugely popular New Zealand FishnHunt forum.

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