Finlayson Christopher: Appropriation (Continuation of Interim Meaning of Funding for Parliamentary Purposes) Bill — In Committee 
Finlayson Christopher: Appropriation (Continuation of Interim Meaning of Funding for Parliamentary Purposes) Bill — In Committee 
[Volume:643;Page:13123] 
CHRISTOPHER FINLAYSON (National) 
: 
 I am speaking on clause 2 which as we know is the commencement clause. Clause 2 of the Appropriation (Continuation of Interim Meaning of Funding for Parliamentary Purposes) Bill as drafted states: “This Act comes into force on the day after the date on which it receives the Royal assent.” 
As some speakers have been suggesting given that the Appropriation (Parliamentary Expenditure Validation) Act 2006 expires on 31 December 2007 it would make sense that if this vile legislation is to go through the commencement date should be 1 January 2008. Putting aside the merits of the legislation for the moment and focusing—as indeed we must—on the commencement clause we see that there is a certain symmetry in having a commencement date of 1 January 2008. I imagine that if the Electoral Finance Bill is enacted—against the interests and concerns of the National Party—the commencement date for the Electoral Finance Bill could also be 1 January 2008. 
That is appropriate because we would then have on 1 January 2008 the enactment of this shabby legislation the Appropriation (Continuation of Interim Meaning of Funding for Parliamentary Purposes) Bill—which would facilitate Labour’s next pledge card and atrocious advertising we had in 2005—and at the same time we would have the commencement of the Electoral Finance Act which of course is designed to shut down political discourse throughout election year. So there is symmetry it seems to me in having a commencement date of 1 January 2008. 
Had it not been for the formula in clause 2—namely that the Act comes into force on the day after the date on which it receives the Royal assent—another appropriate commencement date could have been today because with the release of the report from the State Services Commission today we have seen the undermining of the political neutrality of the Civil Service as evidenced by that very sad report. So we have a Government that is dedicated to upholding democratic ideals introducing legislation to commence on 1 January that provides the basis for the misuse of parliamentary funds. On the same day we have the Electoral Finance Act which is designed to shut down political discourse throughout the country for one-third of the election cycle and we have an undermining of the political neutrality of the Civil Service. When we put those three elements together— 
Chris Auchinvole 
: What do you get? 
CHRISTOPHER FINLAYSON 
: —we see two very concerning matters I say to Mr Auchinvole. 
First we see the overstepping of vital informal limits that were hitherto central to political contests. It was always understood that there were certain lines beyond which one did not go and Labour does not accept that any more. Secondly it represents a ruthless and consistent use of the power of the State to advance the interests of one party—the Labour Party—at the expense of democratic society. 
Well I say to this revolting Labour Government that it can have whatever commencement date it wants. It may by chance win a vote in the Committee tonight but the National Party will not let it get away with it. This Government will be held to account. There will be an accounting because this kind of legislation which seeks to ride roughshod over fundamental democratic principles is immoral and will be repealed just as our leader has said. Whatever commencement date this Government applies to the electoral finance legislation that too will be repealed because there are limits. There are informal limits. In a society like ours if one does not respect the informal rules if the parties do not act according to a certain set of standards then one leads one’s country by the shorter route to chaos. 
We see the standards of the Labour Government in its seeking to have legislation to commence as clause 2 provides on the day after the date on which it receives the Royal assent. We see the standards of this Labour Government evidenced in the correspondence between the general secretary of the Labour Party and the Chief Electoral Officer in September and October last year—on the one hand expressing concern and on the other hand withdrawing it.