STUFF reports today a Radio NZ account that the last time business made any meaningful donations to the Labour Party since the start of 2020 was $25,000 by Mainfreight, which company name they typically mis-spelt, and $25,000 from “two companies linked to Greg Loveridge”, my company’s managing director. Here are the facts about that.
First, both Greg and I gave $25,000 each to the Labour Party six months before the 2017 election.
In fairness Stuff saying this was in 2020 may be because that’s when the Party got around to filing their donations although on form, it’s more likely a Stuff cock-up as a 3 year delay notification seems unlikely.
Of greater interest is why we did this. That was because Greg was approached by two of the most senior Labour MPs to borrow $50,000 as the Party couldn’t pay its bills.
Greg discussed it with me on the phone. It was plain Labour were going to lose the election (we hadn’t reckoned on Winston’s intervention – who did?) and we concluded that the embarrassment the Party faced plus no-one would take their advertising if they were not being paid, could lead to their demise.
We concluded that the two party system had served New Zealand well in the post-war period and was worth sustaining so gave them the cash they wanted to borrow and told them to keep it.
Jacinda came into my office to thank me for this a few days before the election, neither she nor I thinking she was about to be Prime Minister.
I believe we will face a similar issue after the coming election with Labour’s permanent demise on the cards, such will be the thrashing they will deservedly receive.
So would we do it again; obviously much higher than $50,000 nowadays to sustain them?
Probably we would for the same reason as last time as a de facto one Party state is unhealthy.
People want stability which is all the Nats ever offer, That’s why since the war every National government has received 9 year terms, except the Holyoake one which lasted 12 years. Helen got 9 years by behaving like a National government and not rocking the boat but every other post-war Labour government has lasted respectively, one term (twice) or been bumrushed out after two terms before they go power crazy.
I last voted National over 40 years ago when I woke to their reality as a Party of not rocking the boat, uninspiring, minding the shop style dullards. I certainly wouldn’t give them sixpence, nor do they need it as corporate types seeking certainty keep them well-funded.
But periodically radical changes are required and these are only ever delivered by Labour which is a Party of malcontents.
So why did the current Labour government go so wildly off the rails?
Blame the public for that, specifically a phenomenon that saw the nation lose its head; the only time I was embarrassed to be a New Zealander. I refer to the ludicrous Jacindamania phenomenon which induced in Labour a thousand year Reich, faith in their longevity and a corresponding dictatorial mentality resulting in sheer totalitarian insanity in so many ways.
I believe ACT will receive near to 20%. I certainly hope so as the nation needs that Party’s hard-headed economic reality which won’t be forthcoming from National, such is the financial mess the incoming government will inherit.
The next Labour PM is not in the House yet but will probably emerge after the 2026 election. And if so, if necessary to restore the working two party system we’ll certainly be major donors.