Election law forces Cullen to get advice on Budget

"Labour's self-serving Electoral Finance Act is so confused that the Finance Minister has been forced to get legal advice on whether Budget documents are an election advertisement," says National's Deputy Leader, Bill English.

"Should we be preparing ourselves for the Budget documents to be authorised by Labour's financial agent, Mike Smith? This nonsense shows how absolutely unworkable Labour's law is.

"The fact that a Finance Minister no longer knows if his Budget will break election advertising laws is a damning indictment on how badly Labour has mishandled electoral law reform."

Mr English says for Michael Cullen to be absolutely sure his Budget won't break election advertising laws, he would do well to seek advice elsewhere.

"The advice offered by Crown Law is already the subject of current court cases about what is and what isn't election advertising.

"Crown Law's advice is not beyond question. Perhaps Michael Cullen should get a second opinion."