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.
