New 2023 Donor Disclosure Rules: Who Must Report Contributions Over $5,000?

New Zealand’s National Party has once again dominated political donations for 2025, reporting over $6.27 million in contributions—far outpacing all other parties. The Electoral Commission’s release of the 2025 donation and loans returns reveals a significant shift in party funding dynamics, with the ACT Party overtaking Labour as the second-highest recipient of political donations, a development that underscores the evolving landscape of party financing ahead of the November 7 general election.

The figures, filed by 30 April 2026, show National’s total donations of $6,275,234.46, a sum that dwarfs the $2,403,241.93 reported by Labour and the $2,445,225.79 recorded by ACT. This marks the first time ACT has surpassed Labour in total donations since the new reporting thresholds were introduced in 2023. The largest single donation to any party was $210,000 from the late Nelson philanthropist Robert Wares, who contributed to National in February 2025.

Key Donors and Party Financing

Since 2023, political parties in New Zealand have been required to disclose the names of donors and contributors who gave more than $5,000, a threshold that was raised to $6,000 effective January 1, 2026. This transparency has provided unprecedented insight into the sources of party funding. The top donors for each major party include:

• National: Robert Wares ($210,000), Brian Cartmell ($201,993), Brendan Lindsay (Sistema founder) and Sir Rod Drury (former Xero boss).
• ACT: Brian Cartmell ($200,000), Dorothy Jones ($131,318).
• Labour: Mills Family Trust ($125,000), Phillip Mills ($38,200), Dick Frizzell (artist, ~$20,000), and Chris Hipkins (party leader, ~$13,000).
• Green Party: Michael Lookman ($100,000), Phillip Mills ($50,000), and several Green MPs.
• New Zealand First: Brian Cartmell ($205,000), Dorothy Jones ($131,318).

Notably, tech entrepreneur Brian Cartmell emerged as a major donor across multiple parties, contributing hundreds of thousands to National, ACT, New Zealand First, and the Opportunity Party. His donations highlight the influence of individual philanthropists in shaping party finances.

Broadcasting Allocations and Election Implications

The Electoral Commission has also released broadcasting allocations for the upcoming election year, determining how much each party can spend on election advertising across radio, television, and online platforms. These allocations are based on previous election results, party membership, polling data, and the need for fair representation. National leads with $1,079,519, followed by Labour ($913,435), the Greens ($394,438), ACT ($332,158), New Zealand First ($290,639), and Te Pāti Māori ($228,359). Among smaller parties, the Opportunity Party received $114,179, despite not being registered for the election.

The significant disparity in donations between National and other parties raises questions about the fairness of political financing rules and the potential influence of large donors on party policy and campaign strategy. As the election approaches, these funding dynamics will play a crucial role in determining the political landscape and public perception of party priorities.

With the general election scheduled for November 7, the transparency of political donations and the allocation of broadcasting funds will continue to be closely watched by voters, analysts, and advocacy groups alike.