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Changes to the Electoral Finance Bill have been unveiled but the rules MPs have set for themselves and anyone else with an election campaign message are still being called over the top.
The changes suggested by parliament's Justice and Electoral Select Committee include doubling the amount lobby groups can spend on election issue advertising.
The first version of the controversial bill saw thousands protesting in Auckland at the weekend.
But the National Party has plenty of problems with the revised version.
"There's been some minor changes to the bill but it's still a major regulation on public opinion designed to clamp down on election year. Labour are trying to silence its critics with this law," says National deputy leader Bill English.
The changes were made after scrutiny from the select committee.
They include doubling the spending cap for lobby groups, like for example unions and Greenpeace, wanting to advertise on an election issue from $60,000 to $120,000.
There's also an increase on what they can take in anonymous donations, up from $500 to $5,000.
And anonymous donations to a political party would be limited to $240,000.
The Greens are taking credit for forcing through the new anonymous donation regime.
"This would cut labour's anonymous donations income by at least half and cut National's secret trust income by about 90%. National and Labour do not like these provisions and you will hear that in their comments on this legislation," says Metiria Turei, Greens List MP.
But Labour says it will hurt National more than them.
"One of the key purposes behind this bill has been to get the hollow men and secret money out of politics. This goes a long way towards doing that," says Prime Minister Helen Clark.
But one of the most controversial parts of the law remains unchanged. The regulated period will go for the whole of election year, from January 1 2008 right up until election day.
"We would have liked to have seen it shortened, kept at the three months. That hasn't happened but some of the other changes may make a difference to it's impact," says Dr Judy McGregor of the Human Rights Commission.
