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The Electoral Finance Bill has been passed by parliament despite United Future changing its mind and choosing to oppose the legislation.
The controversial bill passed by a comfortable majority of 63 votes to 57.
Labour was confident it had the numbers on its side prior to Tuesday's final reading and New Zealand First, the Green Party and Jim Anderton's Progressive all voted in favour.
National, the Maori Party, United Future, Act and Phillip Field opposed it, and independent MP Gordon Copeland did not vote.
"This is a sad day for New Zealand. It's the day the Labour Party admitted publicly and through legislation they can't win unless they change the law," says National Party leader John Key.
The bill is aimed at curbing the amount political parties can spend on election campaigns in order to provide a level playing field across all parties.
"The National Party, with its secret donors and trusts, want to be able to spend whatever they like to buy the election like Mr Key tried to do last year with the Exclusive Brethren," says Labour Party leader Helen Clark.
The new law means that people or organisations will have to register as so-called third parties or lobby groups if they want to advertise in support of a political party or candidate.
It has set third party advertising limits at $120,000, which buys around five full-page newspaper adverts.
"This is being done to safeguard our democracy by keeping to a minimum the undue influences of money in politics," says Justice Minister Annette King.
National argues that the regulation is a move by Labour to "silence its critics" - and the bill has also been extremely controversial outside parliament, drawing a storm of protests around the country.
Once a spending limit is reached, third parties cannot continue with advertising that ''encourages or persuades'' people to vote a certain way, or even refer to a party's policy or position.
But an advertisement that criticises an issue, such as education funding, is likely to be deemed okay, even if it is outside the $120,000 limit, because it is issue based.
Those who break the rules could be fined or jailed, although this is unlikely to deter some.
"I've been to jail two times before, I spent five years periodic detention. I've been arrested 33 times. I'm not likely to be intimidated," says Invercargill Mayor Tim Shadbolt.
Clark says a workshop will be on hosted by the Electoral Commission to explain to political parties exactly what the regulations will mean.
The law will take effect on January 1 2008.
National says if it is elected, it will repeal the legislation.
