Confirmation Labour Stole the Election

DPF has raised a couple of points I have been thinking about.

1. As the Auditor-General has determined, Labour's theft of the Leaders fund and other funds was electioneering and was therefore illegal; this quantum should be added to the amount Labour declared as election expenditure to the Electoral Commission under the Electoral Act. The sum comes to an additional $824,000 over what Labour declared - or a total of $3,175,000 - an overspend of $796,000 or 35%.

Contrast that with National who (including the GST error which should not actually be included) is 0.6% over the limit.

Given where the result ended up would National have done better with an additional $700,000 on billboards and election material?

See how valuable (to Labour) the gutless Police response was to not act on the complaint under the Electoral ACT regarding Labour's overspending?

2. Treating Labour's theft as unpaid taxes and due now would see IRD levy additional fees of:
Debt of $824,524.
Penalty 1% and a further penalty of 4% seven days after it is due.
Total $41,200 is added to the bill since September 2005
Additional 1% penalty each and every month until paid (say June 2007)
The total penalties come to $214,000
What about 'Use of Money' interest the rest of us mortals front with?:
At the current rate of 13.08%, applied to both the principal and any penalties this tracks out at around $9,500-$10,000 per month on the total owing.
30 June 2007 Clark's Corrupt Circus will owe the sum of $1,200,000 give or take an election or so.

DPF has deeper analysis and included the notion that IRD charge an additional scale depending on whether the avoidance is accidental, deliberate, (un)conscionable etc (all of which Clark is guilty of except accidental)