National Party received three times more money in donations than Labour in 2017

The National Party received almost $4.6 million in donations in the lead up to the last election – three times more money than it was allowed to spend in the campaign.

The party's donations outstripped Labour's donations, which came in at $1.6m, and Gareth Morgan's Opportunities Party, which received $2.3m – almost all of it from Morgan himself.

Soon after the election, all parties had to disclose any donations exceeding $30,000. However, the full list of donations has now been released, showing the National Party was by far the biggest recipient in the lead up to the election.

It received a one-off $150,000 donation from a company called Inner Mongolia Rider Horse Industry. The company, founded by fast food mogul Lang Lin, has sent 1200 New Zealand racehorses to China to race and breed, including New Zealand horse of the year and derby winner Mongolian Khan.

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National also received a $100,000 donation from Auckland-based company Alpha Laboratories, and four separate donations totalling $19,770 from Alpha health care, which is also an Auckland-based company but with different shareholders.

Long-time ACT and National Party donor Lianna Hagaman donated a total of $28,765.75, spread across four donations. Lianna (Lani) Hagaman is the wife and business partner of the late-Christchurch rich-lister Earl Hagaman, who was also a long-time political donor.

Business media rich-lister Barry Colman also gave a healthy sum, along with property investor Philip Hong, Heartland Bank, Gibbston Valley Winery, and alcohol lobby group Spirits NZ.

The party received two donations over $1500 from overseas, which it had to disclose. One was a $4000 donation from someone called Xinyuan Zhang; the other was almost $50,000 from Australian company Go-Airlie.

There are no further details listed on these overseas donors, but there is a Chinese popstar called Xinyuan Zhang.

Meanwhile, a group called Timaru Nationalist Trust also donated $20,000 to National. There is no trust by this name listed in New Zealand's trusts and societies register. However, an incorporated society by a similar name: Timaru Nationalist Centre, was listed. But had been struck off.

The party also had $20,000 of donations protected from disclosure, as they did not meet the threshold.

Other donations included 30 anonymous donations, not exceeding $1500, 17 overseas donations that did not exceed $1500, 933 donations between $1500 and $5000 (totalling $1.4m), and 438 donations between $5000 and $15,000 (totalling $2m).

Election-related spending limits mean the party would not have been able to spend all the money it received during the 2017 general election, but it could hold onto the extra cash for other party expenses, including in the upcoming Northcote by-election.

LABOUR

Meanwhile, Labour had a total of $1.6m in donations.

The big donors were Ē tu Union ($120,000), retired High Court Judge Robert Smellie ($130,000), along with the NZ Dairy Workers Union, the Maritime Union, and the NZ Rail & Maritime Transport Union.

Labour list MP Raymond Huo donated $17,000 to the party.

Artists Karl Maughan and Stanley Palmer gave $57,000 and $39,100 respectively, the proceeds of auctions of their artwork. Artist and innovator Ann Robinson also gave $15,750.

Other donors include Heartland Bank, politician and diplomat Dame Margaret Ann Hercus (Ann Hercus), and lawyer Simon McArley.

Labour did not receive any overseas donations.

THE GREEN PARTY

The Green Party was donated $848,468.97, but also had to take a loan of $90,000. The bulk of the party's donations came from its own MPs, who had compulsory tithings, where each MP had to donate a portion of its salary to the party.

Other than the money from its MPs, the party received two donations over $15,000 - one from Ē tu Union of $30,000, and one from the Rail & Maritime Union of $20,000.

NZ FIRST

Winston Peter's NZ First Party was given almost $550,000 in donations, but has not had to disclose the name of a single donor.

The party was given a total of $546,253.77 in donations. The electoral donation rules meant it did not have to disclose the details of $88,628 of those donations.

Meanwhile, it received 3109 anonymous donations, which did not exceed $1500, adding up to $253,501.27

NZ First also received 29 overseas donations not exceeding $1500, which amounted to $66,200. And it received 13 donations that exceeded $500 but not $15,000, adding up to $135,994.

It also received a loan of $73,000.

Peters has a controversial history when it comes to political donations. He denied receiving a $100,000 donation from businessman Owen Glenn in the lead-up to the 2008 election. And last election, he became embroiled in another donation scandal, involving a $3000 donation from the founder of the immigrant-focused People's Party.

MAORI PARTY

Also worth noting is a $20,000 donation from disgraced businessman Donghua Liu to the Māori Party.

The millionaire property developer has been under fire from Auckland Council for carrying out unconsented building work. Liu was also embroiled in a political scandal after it was discovered former National MP and Cabinet minister Maurice Williamson had approached police seeking information into a criminal case being taken against Liu – who was a National Party donor at the time.

MEANWHILE ...

ACT received $ 783,830.17, and TOP received $2,344,110.50 (almost entirely from founder Gareth Morgan).

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