Source: Taxpayers Union
5 OCTOBER 2020FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
The Taxpayers’ Union has sought the advice of the Electoral Commission today on whether a “Thank you Tracey Martin” video published by the Oranga Tamariki (aka, the Ministry of Children) constitutes an ‘electoral advertisement’ under the Electoral Act and is therefore unlawful. It has also raised the matter with the State Services Commissioner.“Without a doubt this video is a breach of the Civil Service Code of Conduct – which requires political neutrality, particularly during election campaigns,” says Jordan Williams, a spokesman for the Taxpayers’ Union.“It shows extremely poor judgment that the Ministry is wasting taxpayer money on a video best described as ‘hero worship’ for their Minister. It literally thanks Tracey Martin for giving it more taxpayer funding – with no sense of irony that the video demonstrates that they don’t value it.”“We want to know authorised this video – and who is liable in the event the Electoral Commission determines this video to be an election advertisement.”
