Greens reiterate call for change after National received $3.5m in anonymous donations

Marama Davidson has ramped up calls for changes to party funding. Photo / Michael Craig

The Green Party has ramped up calls for reform of the political donation regime, saying the more than $3.5 million the National Party received in anonymous donations in 2017 shows the need for transparency.

"$3.5 million in anonymous donations is a huge sum of money. It is unlikely this is made up of coins or small notes dropped in a bucket or given at a bake sale," Greens co-leader Marama Davidson said today.

"This spells out powerful vested interests tipping huge amounts of money into the coffers of the National Party, hiding behind anonymity."

Davidson said it was impossible to know who was influencing New Zealand's politicians and Parliament was "ripe for influence by big corporations, and potentially corruption".

"It needs to end. After this past few weeks it is clearer than ever that New Zealanders want big money out of politics. It is time for our Parliament to be returned to the community," she said in a statement.

Only donations under $1000 should be anonymous, Davidson said.

"This means that small donations at local fundraisers aren't mired with red tape, but also means politicians will find it much harder to hide donations from powerful vested interests."

The Greens have called for other changes too, including capping individual donations at $35,000, banning overseas donations and increasing taxpayer funding for campaigning.

Currently, donors who give more than $15,000 have to be named, as do those who give more than $1500 to a candidate.

Justice Minister Andrew Little has said he is considering looking into changes to the way political parties are funded, and areas such as donation transparency could be part of the discussion.

Little said on Tuesday there was "natural concern" around the levels of transparency of how parties were funded and whether New Zealand's laws provided enough protection and transparency.

"I think there is scope for debate and I suspect we will have one."

The issue has been raised following allegations by Jami-Lee Ross against his former National Party and leader Simon Bridges over party donations. Police are investigating.

Ross last week released a secretly recorded conversation between himself and Bridges discussing a donation of $100,000 to National.

None of the information Ross has released so far appears to show any wrong-doing on the part of National or Bridges but has raised questions about transparency.

Donations in 2017

National
Disclosed - $1,056,491.53
Anonymous - $3,522,594.91

Labour
Disclosed - $878,724.41
Anonymous - $732,349.36

New Zealand First
Disclosed - Nil
Anonymous - $546,253.77

Greens
Disclosed - $240,595.38
Anonymous - $607,873.59

Act
Disclosed - $390,900.00
Anonymous - $392,930.17

TOP
Disclosed - $2,340,617.00
Anonymous - $3,493.50

* Supplied by the Green Party