NZ First donations: One of the defendants reacts to the not-guilty verdict

A constitutional law expert is telling the Government to close what he says is a loophole in political donation rules.

This is in relation to the high court acquitting two men accused of mishandling $750,000 given to the NZ First Foundation.

The judgement found shadow entities, in this case the foundation, are able to bankroll political parties without needing to know where the money is coming from.

Justice Jagose contended in his final judgment that the two men had not received the payments directly, but rather as trustees of the foundation and previous fund-raising entities.

As a result, he didn’t see their actions as satisfying the charge of “retention of control of the money”.

He said there was nothing inherently dishonest about obtaining the money, as they expressly sought to support the party, meaning the defendants could not be found guilty of the deception part of the charge.

One of the defendants in this NZ First case has talked to Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive on this; Newstalk ZB has disguised his voice as he has permanent suppression.

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