Two people charged by the Serious Fraud Office after an investigation into the NZ First Foundation have lost an argument for continued name suppression. Today, Judge Deidre Orchard released her judgment to the parties involved, including the Herald and a consortium of other media organisations which opposed suppression. But Judge Orchard said in her decision: "This ignores the fact that the prosecution alleges impropriety in the way funds have been solicited from donors to a prominent New Zealand political party ... NZ First leader Winston Peters has denied any wrongdoing and distanced himself and the political party from the foundation. Peters has distanced himself from the foundation - reported to have bankrolled the political party - and has denied any wrongdoing after it first came under scrutiny last November.

Source: New Zealand Herald December 03, 2020 21:19 UTC