Your Daily Ten@10 - 2026/083

This is edition 2026/083 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. Following the money in 2026

Bryce Edwards

• 💰 Political parties in New Zealand declared $14.7 million in donations for 2025 , a 40% increase and the largest non-election-year total under current rules.
• ⏳ The surge is notable because it’s not an election year , suggesting fundraising is intensifying early in the political cycle.
• 📊 Previous analysis warned that wealthy interests were already gaining influence , and the 2025 data appears to reinforce and deepen that trend.
• 🏛️ National dominated fundraising with $6.28M , more than the entire opposition combined, while coalition parties together raised over $10M.
• ⚖️ The funding gap between government and opposition widened , reaching a ratio of 2.29:1 and growing by about $1.85M in a single year.
• 📈 This disparity is described as structural , not just due to incumbency, indicating a long-term imbalance in political funding.
• 🟡 The ACT Party overtook Labour as the second-best-funded party, marking a significant symbolic and financial shift.
• 🧾 ACT’s funding is highly concentrated among wealthy donors , with large average contributions and 40% of funds coming from just ten donors.
• 👥 The number of $50,000+ donors jumped from 11 to 28 , contributing about $3.1M—over 20% of all donations.
• 🏢 Major donors are largely ultra-wealthy individuals and business elites across sectors like tech, property, and finance.
• ⚖️ The core concern is not donor intent but influence , as large contributions carry disproportionate political weight compared to ordinary citizens.
• 🔍 Further analysis is promised, with upcoming sections exploring major donors, funding patterns, and systemic implications.

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