National MP David MacLeod stood down after failing to declare 19 donations

National’s New Plymouth MP David MacLeod has been stood down immediately from his select committee roles after failing to declare 19 candidate donations.

MacLeod held roles on both the Environment and Finance and Expenditure Select Committees

MacLeod received 18 candidate donations worth $168,335 in 2022 when he first became the National Party candidate.

“Because of a misunderstanding that the return was for 2023 only, both the information supplied to the Party for my return and my completed return to the Electoral Commission did not include the 2022 donations,” MacLeod said.

“I am extremely disappointed in myself for making this error.”

He said the error was inadvertent.

The error was picked up by the National Party last week as part of the Party’s annual consolidation of accounts.

MacLeod immediately conducted a full audit of his 2022 and 2023 expenses and donations.

In the audit process MacLeod was also made aware of one donation of $10,000 in 2023 which had not been disclosed to the National Party and therefore was not included on the 2023 Return.

In a statement, Prime Minister and National Party leader Christopher Luxon said MacLeod had failed “to meet the high standards we expect of our MPs.”

“We are taking the matter very seriously. It is imperative that all National Party MPs comply with the law and meet our high expectations,” Luxon said.

“I’ve decided that it is appropriate for David to be stood down immediately from roles on both the Environment and Finance and Expenditure Select Committees.”

MacLeod’s original Return of Electorate Candidate Donations, Expenses and Loans document declared $29,268 in donations.

The new return declares $207,662 in candidate donations.

A spokesperson for the Electoral Commission confirmed it had received an amended return which it was looking at and expected to publish today.

The original donation declaration document, filed with the Electoral Commission on February 13, 2024, included seven donors whose donations were received between January and September, 2023.

– More to come