Freedom New Zealand

To note that Exceltium Limited MD Matthew Hooton made a submission in regards to the Electoral Finance Bill, in which we have a copy of dated 7th September 2007, in which after giving his introduction of whom he is and so on, he says 'there is no case for legislation which cracks down on free speech to the extent this Bill proposes'. This can't be guaranteed as a 100% opposition to the EFB.

Parliamentary Services says public money can be used to pay for work done by political consultants and advisers - as long as it is aimed at making MPs better at their jobs rather than electioneering.

The issue of public funding for political parties' consultants has been under scrutiny after author Nicky Hager revealed National was using controversial Australian strategists and market researchers Crosby Textor. National and John Key lately have trying to push privatization (ACC an example) in a latent form especially from Australian and Banking links.

Hager also revealed it was likely National was using its parliamentary budget to cover at least some of Crosby Textor's bill.

Labour has confirmed it uses public funds to pay for some of its voter research, although it is not known whether public funding also pays for other advisers contracted to the party.

A spokesman for Parliamentary Services said if MPs employed advisers or undertook research whose advice helped them do their job better it would be included as long as that person was not paid for electioneering.

Around this time the idea of restricting what the media film in Parliament was pondered on, the Auckland Council putting forward restrictions on billboard advertising in the CBD and pressure left that on the TGA Act from the government onto the EFB.

Auckland-based corporate and public affairs consultancy, Exceltium Ltd, has announced the appointment of a new senior consultant, Emilie Isaacs, who has joined the company from US government relations firm Williams & Associates, based in Phoenix, Arizona.

A British citizen, Ms Isaacs has wide-ranging experience in policy, advocacy, communications and grassroots campaigning both in the UK and in the US at county, state and federal level, working with clients in the healthcare, pharmaceutical, banking and finance, hospitality and law enforcement sectors. She holds a Master of Arts in Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE) from the University of Oxford. In 2004, she was a regional organiser in Oregon for the Republican Party's successful Victory '04 campaign.

Exceltium Managing Director Matthew Hooton says that, with the changing political climate in New Zealand, Exceltium is planning for further growth in one of its core streams of business, achieving policy change. Mr Hooton says that Ms Isaacs' international perspective would be valuable in ensuring the company continued to offer clients New Zealand's most innovative public affairs strategies.

- Partial Source, Scoop

Original posted @ 11/06/08, updated 19/07/08.