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Journalist to lead anti-corruption referendum campaignThe Paradise Conspiracy II hits number one amid controversyEmbargoed to 00:01 hrs 10 May 1999 The New Zealand Government may be forced to call a referendum on corruption. Investigative journalist, author and publisher Ian Wishart confirmed this week that he is lodging official papers seeking authorisation for a Citizens Initiated Referendum on the issue. The Referendum, if approved, will ask New Zealanders to vote on whether political parties should be forced to reveal their campaign donations above $4,999, dating back to 1983. Mr Wishart says that time period pre-dates the economic reforms introduced by the Labour Government in 1984. "The issue is simple. I have evidence - some of which I have published in The Paradise Conspiracy II and some of which we have held in reserve - that indicates to me that the Government may have been bribed not to investigate the collapse of New Zealand's largest bank, the BNZ. "There is also evidence of massive campaign donations, some of which were allegedly made by tiny tax-haven type companies acting as 'fronts' for large corporations. "The question that I believe New Zealanders are entitled to ask is whether any of those campaign donations came with any understanding that the donor would benefit in any way from subsequent Government policies. "If that is the case, then such donations would put both the giver and the receiver in peril of sections 99 to 104 of the New Zealand Crimes Act, particularly Section 102." That section states that a jail term of up to 14 years - the same as murder - may be imposed if any Minister of the Crown "...corruptly accepts or obtains, or agrees or offers to accept or attempts to obtain, any bribe for himself or any other person in respect of any act done or omitted by him in his capacity as a Minister." Similar sections cover ordinary politicians and law enforcement officers, as well as those paying such bribes. Mr Wishart said the Crimes Act did not restrict the definition of 'bribe' to just money under the table. Instead, a bribe was "any money, valuable consideration, office, or employment, or any benefit whether direct or indirect." He said that could cover companies purchasing State-Owned Assets. "Basically, this Referendum - if voted for and enforced - could well show that XYZ company or people associated with it donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to a party and subsequently became a Government advisor or purchaser. "The Referendum on its own will not prove corruption, but if political parties are forced to reveal donation details, that could show journalists and the public where to start asking questions." Mr Wishart said the documents formally seeking permission to petition for a Citizens Initiated Referendum would be with the Clerk of the House of Representatives later this week. "We are not letting this matter rest. Heidi and I have fielded hundreds of calls from people offering to collect signatures, and it would be a very brave Government that tried to stand in the way of this." Howling At The Moon Publishing Ltd, which operates howlingatthemoon.com alongside its terrestrial book publishing operations, will initially fund the Referendum campaign. Profits from the number one bestseller The Paradise Conspiracy II would help achieve this.
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