See a summary of how much parties spent on advertising for the 2017 General Election and download the full expense returns at the bottom of the page.
Parties could spend up to $1,115,000
A registered party contesting the party vote at the 2017 General Election could spend up to $1,115,000 (including GST) on election advertising, plus $26,200 (including GST) for each electorate the party contested by standing a candidate.
These expense returns were due on Wednesday, 21 February 2018. All registered parties must file a return, even if they didn’t have any election expenses.
Read the rules for party election expenses
Registered parties could get an allocation of money to spend on TV, radio and internet advertising. Parties could only broadcast their election advertisements on TV and radio between 23 August and 22 September 2017.
See what we allocated to parties for broadcast advertising in 2017
Read the rules for spending a broadcast allocation
Registered parties must also file a return of their donations and loans every year:
See party donations and loans for 2017
Summary of party expenses
This table summarises each registered party’s election and allocation expenses.
| Party | Election expenses limit* |
Total party expenses |
Party allocation | Total party allocation expenses |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ACT New Zealand | $2,189,200.00 | $601,487.58 | $99,498.00 | $99,498.01 |
| Aotearoa Legalise Cannabis Party | $1,272,200.00 | $1,696.60 | $44,221.00 | $44,116.78 |
| Ban1080 | $1,193,600.00 | $7,749.31 | $44,221.00 | $43,334.85 |
| Conservative | $1,822,400.00 | $71,764.68 | $55,277.00 | $55,277.00 |
| Democrats for Social Credit | $1,455,600.00 | $13,761.73 | $44,221.00 | $44,191.41 |
| Green Party | $2,844,200.00 | $818,525.46 | $530,656.00 | $530,656.00 |
| Internet Party | $1,115,000.00 | $2,322.70 | $55,277.00 | $55,277.00 |
| Labour Party | $2,975,200.00 | $2,580,523.70 | $1,105,533.00 | $1,105,523.81 |
| MANA Movement | $1,167,400.00 | $17,921.12 | $55,277.00 | $28,437.60 |
| Māori Party | $1,743,800.00 | $247,921.79 | $132,664.00 | $132,008.50 |
| National Party | $2,791,800.00 | $2,546,742.70 | $1,370,860.00 | $1,370,859.22 |
| NZ First | $2,582,200.00 | $679,095.38 | $420,102.00 | $230,743.87 |
| New Zealand People's Party | $1,115,000.00 | $274,541.96 | Nil | N/A |
| NZ Outdoors Party | $1,219,800.00 | $43,508.58 | $44,221.00 | $41,226.76 |
| The Opportunities Party (TOP) | $1,665,200.00 | $1,013,714.29 | $44,221.00 | $44,221.00 |
| United Future | $1,324,600.00 | $12,963.48 | $99,488.00 | $14,250.55 |
*$1,115,000 + $26,200 per electorate candidate