This election Prime Minister John Key is endorsing ACT's Epsom candidate at a cocktail party, not a cup of tea as he controversially had with John Banks last election.
He is helping David Seymour raise $20,000 for his campaign after also helping raise funds for the Maori Party.
ACT is selling social time with the Prime Minister at $200 a pop for drinks and canapés at Dame Jenny Gibbs' Paritai Dr mansion.
"There's no need for any cup of tea. I think we've moved beyond that," says ACT leader Jamie Whyte.
They are expecting 100 guests, netting ACT a cool $20,000 for two hours of mingling.
"This is much more than a cup of tea. It's much more than a cocktail. It's a pot of gold and shows ACT is really just part of the National brand," says Labour leader David Cunliffe.
Mr Key insists he is not giving ACT the Epsom nod just yet.
"We probably will do it, we just haven't done it yet," he says.
It's the second time Mr Key has moonlighted as a fundraising tool for ACT, following a breakfast for Mr Banks last year. He has done it for National too, at dinner and golf games, and twice for the Maori Party - two intimate dinners at Auckland's swanky Northern Club at $5000 a head.
"In the end we're there to support our partners and try to help them, but if the implication is that it means they're guaranteed to come with us after the election then the answer to that is no," says Mr Key.
Fundraising events like this are above board, though Mr Key has no plans for any more before the election.
Everyone involved says selling the Prime Minister as a star attraction is simply a mate helping mates, but there's arguably no such thing as a free lunch - or dinner or drinks for that matter - especially not in election year.
3 News
source: newshub archive
