Broadcasting (2005 Election Broadcasting Reimbursement) Amendment Bill

Member’s Bill

Explanatory note

This bill requires the reimbursement of broadcasting spending by the Electoral Commission in relation to the New Zealand National Party prior to the general election on 17 September 2005, but currently unable to be paid under the Broadcasting Act 1989.

Clause 5 inserts a new section 70E that requires the Electoral Commission to pay the outstanding amounts to the broadcasters involved, and for the New Zealand National Party to reimburse the Electoral Commission for that cost.

Dr Don Brash MP

Broadcasting (2005 Election Broadcasting Reimbursement) Amendment Bill

Member’s Bill

Contents

1. Title
2. Commencement
3. Principal Act mended
4. Purpose
5. New Section 70E inserted

1 Title
This Act is the Broadcasting (2005 Election Broadcasting Reimbursement) Amendment Act 2006.

2 Commencement
This Act comes into force on the day after the date on which it receives the Royal assent.

3 Principal Act amended
This Act amends the Broadcasting Act 1989.

4 Purpose
The purpose of this Act is to amend the principal Act to require the Electoral Commission to reimburse broadcasters from moneys made available by the New Zealand National Party for certain costs incurred in broadcasting election programmes in respect of that party during the election period prior to the general election held on 17 September 2005 but currently unable to be paid under the principal Act.

5 New section 70E inserted
The principal Act is amended by inserting, before section 71, the section:
“70E Reimbursements related to the 2005 general election
“(1) The Electoral Commission must make the following payments to broadcasters for material mistakenly ordered by the New Zealand National Party during the election period before the general election held on 17 September 2005:
“(a) $57,369.00 to Television New Zealand Ltd; and
“(b) $20,013.62 to TV3 Ltd; and
“(c) $3,327.49 to Prime Television Ltd; and
“(d) $6,887.75 to Sky Network Television Ltd; and
“(e) $24,895.62 to The Radio Bureau Ltd.
“(2) The Electoral Commission must make the payments specified in subsection (1) out of a payment of $112,493.48 received from the New Zealand National Party the day after the commencement of the Broadcasting (2005 Election Broadcasting Reimbursement) Amendment Act 2006.
“(3) The payments specified in subsection (1) must be made within 1 month of the receipt of the payment specified in subsection (2).
“(4) To avoid doubt, nothing in this Act limits or affects this section.”

Ends

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