Sean Nicholls Sydney Morning Herald 6 July 2011
THE Premier, Barry O'Farrell, is being accused of delaying new political donation laws after it was revealed the Liberal Party fund-raising body, the Millennium Forum, had held five events since the state election and has planned more before Parliament resumes next month.
Greens MP, John Kaye, said Mr O'Farrell had shown his party was ''so addicted to corporate cash that the government was prepared to breach this unequivocal promise to let the rivers of gold flow for two more lucrative months''.
Read more: O'Farrell accused of delaying new political donation laws
Nicole Gooch & Wendy Bacon New Matilda 8 April 2011
Why didn't any journos pick up that ex-One.Tel MD Brad Keeling helped Carmel Tebbutt with her campaign? New Matilda's investigation into the 'Keep Carmel' push raises some serious questions about its funding. Did Tebbutt's campaign beach NSW funding laws? Are the electoral laws adequate or is media changing so fast governments can't keep up with appropriate regulations?
Norman Thompson says there needs to be urgent clarification in the laws to take account of marketing initiatives like the one used in Tebbutt's campaign: "Politicians are using social media very effectively in their campaigns. Developments are occurring in this media much faster than governments can close loopholes. There must be an urgent review of ways to make all campaigns transparent so the public can be better informed."
Read more: Use of social media in Tebbutt's campaign raises many questions
Sean Nicholls & Brian Robins Sydney Morning Herald 31 March 2011
Mr O'Farrell told the Herald that among his first legislative acts would be further amending laws on political donations to ban donations from so-called ''third parties'' such as unions and business lobby groups. He slammed as ''evil'' a deal struck last year between Labor and the Greens over donations laws, which imposed spending and donations caps but allowed unions to donate up to $1.05 million before each election. He likened Labor's negotiations with the Greens MP John Kaye to ''dealing with the devil'' and pledged to ban third-party donations and restrict political donations to individuals.
Read more: NSW Coalition: First job is to change donations law
Lee Rhiannon & Norman Thompson New Matilda 15 February 2011
Third Party Campaigners - A loophole in the NSW electoral reforms means that influential groups can still spend big to get their voices heard. Read how these lobby groups can spend millions of dollars influencing the outcome of the 26 March NSW election.
Read more: Cashed Up Organisations – Undue Influence on the NSW Election?
Ellen Lutton Sydney Morning Herald 19 December 2010
Queensland's Premier Anna Bligh, who has been rolling out integrity reforms throughout this term, yesterday released a paper outlining her final proposals for the state's electoral system. Ms Bligh wants campaign expenditure by political parties, third parties and candidates capped, with public funding of campaigns increased to compensate. Campaigning by third parties - such as unions, business groups and lobby movements - is set to be regulated.
However, the conservative opposition complains that the Premier was using Christmas as a "distraction" to release a raft of unpopular and "potentially corrupt policies".
Read more: Queensland Labor promises political donations reform
Lisa Murray & Mathew Dunckley Australian Financial Review 13 November 2010
State and federal governments are under pressure to overhaul their political donations rules after the NSW passed new limits and banned tobacco, alcohol and gaming companies from donating any money at all.
