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Thursday, September 14, 2023

Bob Jones: Political Donations


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.

Sir Bob Jones is a renowned author, columnist , property investor, and former politician, who blogs at No Punches Pulled HERE - where this article was sourced.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Good for you Bob. It's good to hear the inside story too. I was a LP Electoral Committee treasurer and recorded payments that I often wondered about.
However during 2021 I was so horrified at the secret agenda and the spin we got from our MP that I left with a polite but pointed resignation email. I regret supporting them and am angry about their utter waste of a majority term.
The worst thing for me was instructing doctors about how they could treat Covid and saying that approved medicines were not approved for humans. From the podium of lies.
MC

Anonymous said...

As is self evident from this post, NZ is no longer a two party system. We might have had Labour and National and miscellaneous including Social Credit and Values under first past the post. We now have National and Labour and whoever is wily enough to wrangle MMP seats and a coalition. NZ First has understood this for a long time, maybe ACT is onto it now. And as always the little parties will absorb enough votes to increase fragmentation and potentially enhance coalition. To date the Maori Party are doing very well with using this to leverage their influence.

Anonymous said...

All Political donations from a corporation, company, trust or foreign entity should be illegal.

Political donations from an individual capped at $500 per year.

Anonymous said...

This is an "Oh Dear article", as can only be penned by Sir Robert Jones.

The Outer, being the comment that in 2017 "money had to be sourced by the Labour Party" to cover an embarrassing debit. A revealing comment that, to me, shows that a Socialist party failed in "accounting One Oh One".

I would ask, "Why the Labour hierarchy" approached a business and not the Unions, that are 'supposedly' the stalwart support of this NZ Political Party"? Speaks 'volumes' about this Party.

The other questions being -
[1] - in late 2016, the Nation was 'advised' that Jacinda Ardern was to be the new Labour Party Leader - did the Labour Party hierarchy know of this and endorse it - it was never stated;
[2]- when Jacinda 'stepped' down, again did the Labour Party hierarchy even know this was happening and also support it - did they know it was happening?

Sir Robert 'speaks of a demise', that will aided & abetted by Labour Party supporters who feel they have been let down - look at the the 2 questions above, especially the second - because Sir Robert speaks of "Jacindamania" - for those who supported her in 2016 (and again 2020) - and her 'going' this would have been seen "as a betrayal", by both Labour & others who potentially saw a New Face, Young Woman to lead this Country.

At the time I wonder how many New Zealander's had any idea of Jacinda's background or her Political proclivities?

Keep in mind, on the two occasions, of Jacinda "coming then going", the detail is "shrouded in mystery", that failing to "explain" has left many not only Labour supporters, doubting their own Party, but other New Zealander's doubting Labour sincerity.

As to "the next Labour PM" - emerging after the 2023 General Election my thoughts are (sorry Sir Robert) that this an impossibility - when you look at the Labour Party, in opposition for the 9 years of John Key, who then brought their ineptitude to the Treasury Benches, which has shown up since 2017. There are none amid the current 'deplorables' that merit a potential tap on the shoulder to step up.

Thus the rise & fall of The NZ Labour Party - for the resurrection their needs to be a change in the TOP management, the 'new faces' should direct from top down, not have to directed from bottom up.

Thanks Sir Robert, another fine informative article.

ANON, of New Zealand

Anonymous said...

Great story as usual, and great insight into donations....thanks Bob.

I've commented on the vast majority of your articles Bob and hold you in the highest regard, however if you want a massively dud investment, you certainly found it in Jacinda and her fellow nutcases. With hindsight I wish you/greg/Troy etc al had kept your money in your pockets.

I understand your reasoning and appreciate you discussing it. You are probably a better person than I, as if I were in your shoes right now they would never get a cent from me for the foreseeable future and I'm a swing voter, but this labour govt has done their best to ensure I don't support them for a very long time.

Also what's interesting is that not many thought Winston would do what he did but it's highlighted to me to expect the unexpected.
All the best mate.