Democracy for Sale

Crikey 31 August 2010

Crikey asks who donated to Tony Windsor, Rob Oakeshott, Bob Katter and Andrew Wilkie before the election that made them some of the most powerful individuals in the country?  The answer is "we don't know, and may never know, due to our nonsensical election donation disclosure laws."

Crikey continues, "As it stands, our Federal politicians are treating voters with contempt. There is no excuse for not moving immediately to remedy this glaring example of political self-interest.  In the interim, every party and MP should reveal a full list of their donors, at least down to the $1000 level, for both the last financial year and prior to the election.

Lisa Pryor  Sydney Morning Herald 28 August 2010

Lisa Pryor looks at electoral reform, an issue being pushed by the three independents the major parties hope will deliver government to them.  Pryor states that it "looks like something could actually happen if there is enough pressure from a loose, very loose, coalition of square glasses and Akubra hats in Parliament."

Unlike countries such as Canada, Australia has been reluctant to embrace reform of the electoral funding system. As Ms Pryor states, "The outrageous state of affairs which exists in Australia has gone on so long because both the major parties are hooked on donations.  Let's hope things can change while the Greens are still only recreational users."

Tom Arup   Sydney Morning Herald 27 August 2010

THE left-leaning advocacy group GetUp! would welcome limits on its ability to raise money from unions and other groups as part of a reform package for political donations being negotiated between the Coalition and Labor and three key independents.

Ben Schneiders  The Age 18 August 2010

THE Greens have received their largest-ever political donation with a disaffected Victorian blue-collar union giving $325,000 to help the party win the seat of Melbourne and its first Victorian Senate spot.

The Electrical Trades Union's Victorian branch - which until last month was affiliated with Labor - recently gave $125,000 to the campaign to elect Greens candidate Adam Bandt in the marginal seat of Melbourne.  A further $200,000 has been donated to help Richard Di Natale become the first Greens senator for Victoria.