The issue of donations to the Maori Party has been referred to the Serious Fraud Office by police for further investigation

The Electoral Commission had previously referred donations totalling $320,000 to police:

They involved $158,000 from former party leader John Tamihere; $120,000 from Aotearoa Te Kahu; and $50,000 from the National Urban Maori Authority, which were declared late.

Maori Party president Che Wilson said a mistake had been made and it lay with party volunteers who had been "learning the ropes".

The lateness of declaring donations is not likely to be the concern of the Serious Fraud Office