National is rejecting claims it's breached any copyright rules with its use of an Eminem song in a campaign ad saying it will contest any action taken against them.
National says it bought the music from the rapper's hit song Lose Yourself from a production music supplier, Beatbox, and it was assured the music in question didn't infringe any copyright and was an original work.
"It's just somebody trying to make money before the election," National MP Steven Joyce told reporters.
Eminem's publishing company Eight Mile is suing National Party for alleged copyright infringement of Lose Yourself.
The iconic rap song is used by National as a backing track for their election campaign ad.
Eight Mile's Joel Martin says they were not approached by the National Party for permission to use any of Eminem's songs for their political campaign.
"It is both disappointing and sadly ironic that the political party responsible for championing the rights of music publishers in New Zealand by the introduction of the three strikes copyright reforms should itself have so little regard for copyright," Mr Martin says.
According to Eight Mile, Lose Yourself is rarely authorised to be used to advertise products and say they would never allow it to be used in connection with any political campaign.
This is not the first time National's been in trouble for its choice of music.
In 2007 as opposition leader, John Key had to ask voters to return a DVD after allegations National breached copyright by using a song similar to Coldplay's Clocks.
