Labour doing all it can to control our TV

Monday 21 Mar 2005
Rodney Hide
Press Releases -- Other

"The Labour Party is set to pressure the Electoral Commission in an attempt to get its hands on unprecedented sums of taxpayer' money to spread its political propaganda en mass," ACT Leader Rodney Hide said today.

Mr Hide's comments follow Labour calling for the lion's share of the $3.2 million taxpayer' fund set aside for party political broadcasting in election year.

"Labour says it needs the most taxpayer-funded advertising because it is the biggest party. This hypocrisy comes from a party that professes to care for the little guy. That's like Telecom saying it needs the most government help because it is the biggest!

"Labour is already spending $15 million of taxpayers' money on promoting its Working for Families package, which is totally unnecessary because families already in receipt of assistance will get their increased payments automatically. The $15 million spend up is nothing less than blatant Labour Party propaganda!

"It's clear where Helen Clark is heading. First, she wants to control the broadcast from Parliament and secondly she wants to spend taxpayers' money to fund Labour Party propaganda. What's next, taxpayer-funded Helen Clark airbrushed billboards up and down the country?"

Mr Hide said political parties should be allocated an even share of funds for television promotion and on top of that be able to spend as much of their own money as they wish up to a maximum universal amount .

ENDS

For more information visit ACT online at http://www.act.org.nz or contact the ACT Parliamentary Office at act@parliament.govt.nz.

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