Logos, slogans and the Electoral Finance Act

The decision that the slogan on Rodney Hide’s yellow jacket was deemed in breach of the Electoral Finance Act is the first decision involving a party logo. Yet it wasn’t a decision on a party logo per se. The decision does not say that jacket was in breach of the Electoral Finance Act, nor does it specifically say that the logo in itself is in breach. But a logo with a slogan in Rodney Hides jacket was in breach of the Act. Indeed as Homepaddock has been advised there has not been a decision on a party logo.
Yet.

This has implications in forthcoming decisions – such as a party logo on a balloon and a party logo on a T-shirt. Once it is acknowledged that a party logo is an advertisement, the implications are immense.Are party logos different to slogans such as “Time for a change” and “the guts to do what’s right”.

Sounds like it. We’ll have to wait and see. Perhaps that's why a decision on Hides jacket was released before a decision on Labour's balloon even though the balloon complaint was with the commission earlier.What appears certain is that items of clothing were not in breach of the Electoral Finance Act.That means a balloon wouldn't be either. It is the advertisement that is the breach.

In these cases the Electoral Commission considers the legality of election advertisements – not what that advertisements are displayed on.