Page calls for review of political donations arrangements
Ballina MP Don Page, pictured, today condemned the State Labor Government for voting down a Coalition motion to establish a Joint Standing Committee to report on political donations and campaign expenditure for State and local government elections in New South Wales.
Mr Page said he believed there is community concern about the connection between political donations and political decisions. The time for a review of current arrangements was long overdue.
“To protect the integrity of our democratic processes we must conduct a review of our current laws. A Joint Select Committee inquiry and report to Parliament would have been the vital first step in this process – yet the State Labor Government used its numbers to vote an inquiry down,” Mr Page said.
Mr Page said his personal view is that all political donations from people who don’t have a right to vote should be banned and individual donations should be capped. Capped public funding and capped election expenditure would also restore integrity to the electoral process.
“A basic principle of democracy is that the people who have the right to vote determine the election outcome. However, we now allow associations, companies and unions to make large donations in an attempt to influence election outcomes when these bodies have no right to vote,” he said.
“Do Australian citizens want a system where large organisations with deep pockets, possibly from overseas, have such a major impact on our election outcomes? I think not,” he said.
Mr Page said the motion proposed by the NSW Coalition was “That this House appoint a Joint Standing Committee, to be known as Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters, with powers and functions as authorised by the 53rd Parliament and that the Committee inquire into and report on the matter of political donations and campaign expenditure for State and local government elections in NSW and:
(1) Take submissions from the public and consider reform options including:
• restrictions on political donations;
• caps on campaign expenditure;
• improved reporting of third party donations to so-called Independent candidates;
• banning soft money donations to local government campaigns from Party head offices; and
• more timely reporting of donations and campaign expenditure following State and local government elections.
(2) The review will apply to both the State and local government elections.
(3) That the Committee report by February 2008.
(4) That the Government table a draft exposure Bill in response to the Committee’s report prior to the date of the local government elections due in 2008, and implement new measures by March 2009.”
Mr Page said since the Labor Government had voted this motion down, he would circulate a petition asking people who want reform in this area to sign.
