New Zealand First pulls ahead of Act and National in major donations

NZ First is leading the major donations race against National and Act. Photo / NZME

New Zealand First has pocketed $300,000 in major donations this month – including the biggest donation of election year so far.

But Act said it’s not far behind, with leader David Seymour claiming his party fundraised more than $150,000 alone on Monday and Tuesday.

According to returns published by the Electoral Commission, NZ First has received the most major donations of any party in 2026. It is marginally ahead of Act and nearly $200,000 ahead of National.

The two largest donations came from thoroughbred breeder Sir Peta Vela and Sistema Plastics founders Sir Brendan and Lady Jo Lindsay.

Vela donated $150,000, while the Lindsays donated $100,000.

Both donations were made on April 17.

Speaking to journalists on Tuesday, NZ First leader Winston Peters said he wasn’t aware of how his party compared to others.

“These things are filed for the public record, and they’re filed by the right arm of the party.

“I don’t know about that, and I’m not here to compare other parties in terms of what they’ve raised or not raised.

“My party is the most modest party when it comes to party donations of all the parties in all 33 years. No party has gone so far on so little.”

NZ First also received a $25,000 donation from Windsor Park Stud, and $25,000 from Shaw’s Wire Ropes. Both companies have Nelson Edward Shick listed as a director.

Sir Brendan and Lady Jo Lindsay donated $100,000 to New Zealand First. Photo / Dean Purcell

Parties only have to publicly declare donations worth $20,000 or more, meaning total donations are likely higher than what is publicly declared.

After all of the major donation declarations so far this year, NZ First has the healthiest coffers with $475,000 in total.

Act follows with $432,000.

Asked about Act’s fundraising, Seymour said it was going “pretty good”.

“We’ve raised more than that [NZ First’s $150,000 donation] just in the last 24 hours,” he said on Tuesday.

There is often a delay of up to two weeks between a donation being made and the declaration being published on the commission’s website.

Act’s largest donations were received from Zuru founder Nick Mowbray, GMP Environmental, and Van Den Brink Karaka. All donated $100,000.

National had received $280,000 in major donations this year.

National’s largest donors were Michael Sullivan and GMP Environmental, which both donated $100,000.

Of the parties outside Government, The Opportunity Party has received the most significant major donations, banking $150,000 this year.

The party was given $50,000 from Les Mills director Phillip Mills and $100,000 from tech entrepreneur Brian Cartmell.

Labour had received $122,000, the Greens $93,000 and Te Pāti Māori $40,000.

Labour and the Greens’ largest donors were also Phillip Mills, who donated $100,000 and $50,000 respectively.

Te Pāti Māori’s only donation came from party president John Tamihere.

Ethan Griffiths is a political reporter with Newstalk ZB, based in the Parliamentary Press Gallery. He joined NZME as a print journalist in 2020, previously working as an Open Justice reporter in the Bay of Plenty and Wellington, and as a general reporter in Whanganui.