29/08/2024
M P Ross
By email to:
[FYI request #27932 email]
Dear M P Ross
OFFICIAL INFORMATION ACT REQUEST 2024/53
On Tuesday, 6 August you made a request under the Official Information Act 1982 (the OIA) for the
following information:
1) Is "Independent MPs" a registered political party with the Electoral Commission?
2) If it is, does "Independent MPs" have the current and required number of financial members to
remain a registered political party?
3) Is there an unregistered political party called "Independent MPs" seeking registration with the
Electoral Commission?
4) If so, in 3), could you please provide the names of the financial members?
5) If so, in 3), please provide a copy of its party's constitution.
6) If so, in 3), who is the party's secretary?
7) If not, in 3), is it legal to call yourself a leader of a political party that does not exist or is not
seeking registration from the Electoral Commission while being a member of Parliament?
8) Are leaders of political parties paid more than a standard Member of Parliament? If so, what is
the difference?
9) Do leaders of political parties receive additional staffing and benefits compared to a normal
List MP who is not the leader of a political party? If so, what are these additional staffing and
benefits?
Please find answers to your questions below.
1) Is "Independent MPs" a registered political party with the Electoral Commission?
No, there is no political party named ‘Independent MPs’ currently registered with the Electoral
Commission.
Parties currently registered with the Electoral Commission can be found on our website:
Register of
political parties | Elections.
2) If it is, does "Independent MPs" have the current and required number of financial members
to remain a registered political party?
Please refer to our answer to question 1.
Electoral Commission
Level 4, 34-42 Manners Street, PO Box 3220, Wellington 6140, New Zealand
Telephone +64 4 495 0030
www.vote.nz | www.elections.nz
3) Is there an unregistered political party called "Independent MPs" seeking registration with
the Electoral Commission?
No, there is not currently an unregistered political party called ‘Independent MPs’ seeking
registration with the Electoral Commission.
When we receive an application from a political party to register with the Commission, we issue a
media release stating that we are considering an application from a named political party. Media
releases can be found on our websit
e: Media & news | Elections.
4) If so, in 3), could you please provide the names of the financial members?
Please refer to our answer to question 3.
5) If so, in 3), please provide a copy of its party's constitution.
Please refer to our answer to question 3.
6) If so, in 3), who is the party's secretary?
Please refer to our answer to question 3.
7) If not, in 3), is it legal to call yourself a leader of a political party that does not exist or is not
seeking registration from the Electoral Commission while being a member of Parliament?
Political parties do not have to be registered with the Electoral Commission to exist. Parties also do
not have to be registered with the Commission to appear on ballot papers, therefore to have
members of Parliament. For more information about political parties and the role of the Electoral
Commission, please refer to our website:
Political parties in New Zealand | Elections.
8) Are leaders of political parties paid more than a standard Member of Parliament? If so, what
is the difference?
This part of your request was formally transferred to the Remuneration Authority on Monday, 12
August as the Authority is better suited to answer this question than the Electoral Commission.
Please refer to further communication from the Remuneration Authority in relation to this question.
9) Do leaders of political parties receive additional staffing and benefits compared to a normal
List MP who is not the leader of a political party? If so, what are these additional staffing and
benefits?
This part of your request will be answered by the Parliamentary Service, as they are more suited to
answer this question than the Commission. We note that the Parliamentary Service is not subject to
the Official Information Act 1982, therefore the transfer of this question has not been made under
the Act. Instead, the Parliamentary Service will be treating these as an enquiry. Please refer to
further communication from the Parliamentary Service in relation to this question.
Electoral Commission
Level 4, 34-42 Manners Street, PO Box 3220, Wellington 6140, New Zealand
Telephone +64 4 495 0030
www.vote.nz | www.elections.nz
In the interests of transparency, we release responses to Official Information Act requests every 3
months. We will publish this response with your personal details redacted.
You have the right under section 28(3) of the Act to make a complaint to the Ombudsman if you are
not satisfied with the response to your request. Information about how to do this is available at
www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or by phoning 0800 802 602.
Yours sincerely
Kristina Temel
Manager, Legal and Policy
Electoral Commission
Level 4, 34-42 Manners Street, PO Box 3220, Wellington 6140, New Zealand
Telephone +64 4 495 0030
www.vote.nz | www.elections.nz
