How to hide a million dollars in politics
The Spinoff Daily, Thursday October 27
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Today on The Spinoff, Auckland Transport seems to be taking the mayor’s missives on board, Hayden Donnell makes the case for defunding Ponsonby and Charlotte Muru-Lanning explains what the Fair Pay Agreements Bill is all about.
But first, Max Rashbrooke looks at what we’ve learnt from the recent high-profile political donations cases.
“According to the official records, David Zhang had donated $8,000 to the Labour Party by buying an overpriced piece of art at auction. So it was something of a surprise when he stood up in court and said, “I do not like the Labour Party. I’d rather burn money than give it to Labour.”
Zhang’s comments were just one darkly comic moment in the long winter of cases in which people connected to National, Labour and New Zealand First went on trial for trying to hide the sources of those parties’ funding from the public. Now that the cases have concluded (pending appeals), and some defendants been convicted, it’s time to take stock of a political finance system that appears wide open to abuse, and reflect on how it might be reformed.”
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Live Updates: PM’s Auckland office targeted in attack
Auckland Transport responds to Wayne Brown’s open letter in all-staff meeting
Defund Ponsonby (and give the money to suburbs that actually accept new housing)
The social cohesion framework should be applied to government first
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Schools stop playing for the cameras
From The Bounce, a newsletter by Dylan Cleaver: “This feels like a huge moment, like the first droplets of water being administered by pipette onto the raging bonfire that is school sport. The principals of the Auckland 1A schools yesterday took a bold step, one that will be unpopular with many within their rugby communities, and ended their relationship with live broadcasting and streaming.”
Fair Pay Agreements herald a new dawn for workers – but what exactly are they?
‘I wanted to put myself in the story’: Viola Davis on making The Woman King
Celebrity Treasure Island power rankings: Everyone’s had a gutsful
Kia pai te raumati! How to make your summer kā rawe
