Your Daily Ten@10 - 2026/044

This is edition 2026/044 of the Ten@10 newsletter.

Hi all,

This is the Ten@10, where I collate and summarise ten news items you generally won't see in the mainstream media.

Enjoy!

1. Big money flowing into the political parties in 2026

Bryce Edwards

• 💰 Coalition fundraising surge: In early 2026, New Zealand’s governing coalition parties have raised about $750,000 in large donations , compared with roughly $65,000 for Labour and the Greens , giving the political right a ten-to-one financial advantage early in the election year.
• 🧾 Limited transparency: Donations above $20,000 must be disclosed , but this register reveals only part of the picture—many sizable donations remain hidden until annual returns are released, meaning the public sees only a fraction of the money influencing politics.
• 🛢️ Oil and gas-linked donation controversy: GMP Environmental Limited , a subsidiary of Greymouth Petroleum , donated $100,000 each to National, ACT, and NZ First shortly after the government weakened oil-industry decommissioning liability laws—raising concerns about the appearance of influence.
• ⚖️ Trust and perception problems: Even without proof of a quid pro quo, the sequence—industry lobbying, legislative change, then large donations—creates public suspicion that policy outcomes can be rewarded with political funding.
• 💻 Major donor Brian Cartmell: Queenstown tech entrepreneur Brian Cartmell has distributed at least $500,000 across several parties , including $100,000 to the Opportunity Party and large sums to coalition parties, reflecting a strategy of supporting multiple political options.
• 🏗️ Developer hedging strategy: Auckland construction businessman Michael Grant Sullivan donated $200,000 across the coalition parties , effectively backing all governing partners—seen as a strategic investment in relationships with policymakers affecting property development and planning.
• 🟦 ACT’s fundraising dominance: ACT leads the donation race with $350,000 in large contributions , including money from Zuru co-founder Nicholas Mowbray and the Van Den Brink poultry business , highlighting strong support from wealthy business figures.
• 📉 Weak fundraising on the left: Labour and the Greens have attracted very little external money , with Labour’s only declared donation coming from a deceased supporter’s estate and the Greens’ main declared contribution coming from one of their own MPs.
• 🌱 Opportunity Party gaining traction: The Opportunity Party (TOP) has raised $150,000 in large donations , including funding from both Cartmell and Les Mills founder Phillip Mills , suggesting growing interest from donors dissatisfied with major parties.
• 🧠 Systemic concern for democracy: The overall pattern shows wealthy individuals and corporate interests heavily financing parties aligned with their policy preferences , raising concerns that financial imbalance could distort political influence and public trust in New Zealand’s democratic system.

Read More

This post is for subscribers only

Become a member to get access to all content

Subscribe now