Nats, Labour given $1m broadcasting money

In February, Prime Minister Bill English announced the election would be held on September 23. Photograph by Mark Mitchell

The two big political parties have been allocated more than $1 million in broadcasting funding for the general election.

The Electoral Commission revealed the broadcasting allocations for each party, which is allocated according to how large parties are and how well they are polling.

In total, $4.1m has been allocated to 22 parties. National will get $1.3 million, Labour will get $1m, the Greens will get $498,000 and NZ First will get $394,000.

Labour and Greens have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to work together until the election, and some other parties told the commission that this should mean their funding was reduced.

The commission did not agree, saying that both parties had made it clear they were both vigorously competing for the party vote. It made the same ruling for the Maori Party and Mana, which have also agreed to work together and make electoral accommodations in some seats.

Gareth Morgan's The Opportunities Party, which is running for the first time, will get $41,478 - the same amount as minnows Aotearoa Legalise Cannabis Party and Ban1080.

The total budget for broadcasting allocations has risen from $3.3m in 2014. The 2017 budget is larger because parties no longer get free airtime on TVNZ and Radio NZ - a move made because of dwindling interest in traditional party broadcasts.

Instead, parties can choose to use their broadcasting allocations on the internet or buy slots on television or radio. Until now, digital advertising has been funded out of parties' own pockets.

Television, radio and digital ads can only be broadcast from August 23, the official start of the election campaign.

Broadcasting allocation 2017
National - $1.28m
Labour - $1.04m
Green - $497,000
NZ First - $394,000
Maori Party - $124,400
Act Party - $93,000
United Future - $93,000
Conservative - $51,900
Internet Party - $51,900
MANA Movement - $51,900
Ban1080 - $41,800
Aotearoa Legalise Cannabis Party - $41,800
Social Credit - $41,800
The Opportunities Party - $41,800
Universal Party - $37,300*
GOdsownNZ - $37,300*
1Law4All - $37,300*
Coalition for Common Good - $37,300*
NZ Outdoors Party - $37,300*
Alliance Party - $37,300*
NZ Expat Party - $37,300*
NZ Independent Parliament - $37,300*
*currently unregistered