13 Sep 2008

National wants no part in electoral law panel

1:01 pm on 13 September 2008

The National Party says it would scrap a panel set up to review electoral law if it takes power after the election.

The Government released on 5 September the terms of reference for an independent panel to review electoral administration and political party funding.

The panel will be supported by a Citizens' Forum.

National deputy leader Bill English says the Labour Party has learned nothing from the controversy it became embroiled in after passing last year's Electoral Finance Act.

He says the panel has been created in a pre-election rush and it was not consulted.

But Labour says the consultation was not necessary, because National opposed the panel's creation from the outset.