Referral to the Police
On 16 March 2012, the Electoral Commission referred Mediaworks and the party secretary of Aotearoa Legalise Cannabis Party (ALCP) to Police for an overspend of ALCP’s broadcasting allocation for election programmes broadcast at the 2011 General Election.
The cost of election programmes broadcast by Mediaworks on behalf of ALCP exceeded the party’s broadcasting allocation by $557.80.
It is an offence under section 80 of the Broadcasting Act 1989 for a person, during the election period, to broadcast an election programme on behalf of a political party, or to arrange for the broadcasting of an election programme on behalf of the political party other than in conformity with the requirements of Part 6 of the Act. The Commission is required to refer such breaches to Police under section 80A of the Act.