SpeechJAMI-LEE ROSS (Botany): A regulation we do need in this country is greater restrictions around foreign donations to political parties. Yesterday we saw in the New Zealand Herald a very good example of how the current rules around donations do not work for our democracy. I don't need to go into depth around that particular donation but what it does highlight is how our current laws around donations are wrong. It's true—I was one of the sources for that story. It's true—I was able to outline for the journalists my phone records and email records and contacts around that particular donation because at the time I was asked by someone who held ministerial office to collect the donation. I did so because I wasn't OIA-able"; the person that asked me to do so was subject to the Official Information Act (OIA).The issue that that donation highlights is that our current laws do not adequately restrict the ability for foreigners to make donations to political parties. It is true that that donation in the New Zealand Herald yesterday was lawful. It is true no laws were broken but we're in the business of making laws and fixing laws where they are wrong. It is wrong in my view for a foreigner who has interests in New Zealand who wants to donate to a political party to be able to utilise a New Zealand - based company. It is wrong for an individual who has no other links to New Zealand other than business through a company to be able to make a donation and have influence by making that donation to a political party. Our laws are wrong. In my view if you are unable to influence an election by voting you should be unable to influence an election or our democracy by making a donation. It's a fairly simple concept and it's one that we should be looking at in this House. Correct the donation was not unlawful; our law is wrong and needs to be changed.When we talk about foreign interference it's very easy to look at donations and look at the way in which we interact with people that have connections to foreign States and just dismiss what might be going on. But when we look at it very clearly and carefully when we try and understand the connections and the influences that people from offshore are trying to have on our democracy it can be very chilling. Does anyone really believe that a Mongolian oligarch wants to out of the goodness of his heart make six-figure donations to a political party after meeting the person who has responsibility for the very policy that he's interested in when it comes to the exporting of livestock? I don't think he did so out of the goodness of his heart. I don't think any laws were broken but I think we need to fix the system. We need to ensure our democracy is safe from foreign influences and ensure that we tighten up the rules. I've heard that there is a lot of support in the House for banning foreign donations. That's great but simply lowering the threshold from $1500 down to zero will do nothing because any foreigner at any point in time that they wish can set up a New Zealand company or use an existing one to make a large donation. We have politicians in this House and those seeking election that have a lot of connections to people that have offshore influences and offshore interests. We should ensure our democracy and our electoral laws are much tighter.There is a foreign interference inquiry under way through the Justice Committee. Unfortunately that inquiry is going very slow. Unfortunately the committee that is looking at that inquiry may report back too late for us to make changes to our electoral law. It's important we move now and we move swiftly because election year is very close. That same committee is also looking at the Electoral Amendment Bill right now. Unfortunately that Electoral Amendment Bill is too tight and does not allow the committee to consider foreign donations or consider donation laws at all. The very same people sitting on the inquiry are also considering that bill. It's my view that the House should give that committee the power to look at donations; give those same people doing the inquiry around foreign interference and around elections the power to make recommendations around amendments to the Electoral Act with regards to donations. We need to move on this. Election year is not far away. There is a very good example out there and there will be many others that foreigners—and we heard directly from the spy agencies yesterday at the select committee in both an open session and then in much more detail in a secret session about—SPEAKER: Order!JAMI-LEE ROSS: —influences in our democracy and we need to take them seriously.I'm going to seek leave in a second to have a Supplementary Order Paper (SOP) in my name—SOP 324—which does seek to make some changes referred to the Justice Committee.I seek leave for Supplementary Order Paper 324 in my name to be referred to the Justice Committee and for the committee to in its consideration of the Electoral Amendment Bill have the power to consider and if it thinks fit adopt the amendment set out on SOP 324 or any other amendments relating to electoral donations.SPEAKER: Is there any objection to that process? There is objection."