Woolerton R Doug: General Debate 
Woolerton R Doug: General Debate 
[Volume:642;Page:11792] 
R DOUG WOOLERTON (NZ First) 
: 
 As some people in this House probably know many years ago when one did not have much choice I used to belong to the National Party. I did reasonably well in the National Party. I was privy to a lot of discussions a lot of problems and a lot of solutions but today National members have a problem that they will have to put their best money minds to. I know that Shane Jones is no slug in this department so even he may be asked to help National members with this problem. 
The question they have to answer and the conundrum they have is how they will fit a $5 million war chest into a $2.5 million spending cap—not only that but a spending cap lasting 11 months. The question we must ask ourselves is whether they will spend some of the $5 million this year. 
Dr the Hon Lockwood Smith 
: When is New Zealand First paying back the taxpayers’ money? 
R DOUG WOOLERTON 
: I am pleased that Dr Lockwood Smith brought that up. I can tell him that in New Zealand First we know how much money National spent. We also know how much public money National spent and we will tell the people of New Zealand before the next election. 
I can tell everybody in this House and those further afield that no party in this House spent more money at the last election than the National Party did. Everybody knows that. 
Dr the Hon Lockwood Smith 
: Labour did. 
R DOUG WOOLERTON 
: I am talking about public money. No party in this Parliament spent more public money at the last election than the National Party did and the party knows that. 
Will we see the billboard campaign start in October 2007 November 2007 or when? National has a problem because if the Electoral Finance Bill goes ahead National cannot spend its war chest in the 11 months leading up to the next election. That is why we hear Mr English asking all the dumb questions. He knows there is no answer to those questions and that he is not correct. 
Back behind the scenes all the boys with the money brains are working out how to fix this problem. Quite obviously they intend as they did in the last election that some of the money will go to the Maxim Institute. 
How much will National spend towards the end of this year? The Brethren are a little bit out of favour so National will find another name to spend some of that money on. National will give money to the Brethren rather than the other way around but it has plenty so it is not a problem. 
That will be the question at the next election. I am making this speech so that everybody knows that that is what is behind Bill English’s questions to the Minister Mark Burton. It is not about free speech. It is not about free speech at all; it is about how the National Party spends its huge war chest. 
I believe that National has a problem that even the likes of Chris Finlayson could not finesse a way out of. The greatest art in the National Party is spending excessive amounts of money legally. It may not be morally right it may not be what the public expects it to do and it is certainly not what other parties such as ourselves expect it to do but National is an expert at it and it will find a way around this problem as best it can. 
Personally I doubt whether National can get rid of that $5 million at the next election but it will get rid of a lot more than the $2.5 million it is allowed to spend under the spending cap that applies to us all. It will be interesting to watch National members on that issue. 
I say to the public and to people who are thinking about giving the National Party money: “Don’t worry about it. Forget about it. It is a waste of time. They have heaps already. They have money they cannot possibly spend before the next election.” I say to people that they should do themselves a favour and give the money to New Zealand First.