Senator John Faulkner
40/2008
17 December 2008
The Special Minister of State, Senator John Faulkner, today released the Government’s Electoral Reform Green Paper - Donations, Funding and Expenditure, and invited submissions on the issues raised, by 23 February 2009.
This paper, the first of two on electoral reform, has been developed in consultation with the States and Territories. The Government encourages the public to respond to issues it sees as important in the area of political finance.
The paper covers issues relating to the disclosure of political donations, and the funding and expenditure of political parties and others in the political process. It complements the concrete reforms the Government has already placed before the Parliament, to require the disclosure of all donations above $1000, to ban foreign donations and to tie public funding to genuine election expenditure.
The Green Paper is set against the background of increasing campaign costs, the need for political parties to raise ever increasing amounts of funds, and the need to address perceptions of undue influence.
The options raised by the paper for public debate include:
The Government has an open mind on the options discussed in the paper, and encourages people to have their say on these important issues. The Government will also ask the Federal Parliament’s Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters to consider the issues raised in the Green Paper.
A copy of the Green Paper and details of how to lodge submissions are available at http://www.pmc.gov.au/consultation/elect_reform/index.cfm. The deadline for submissions is 23 February 2009.
A second paper on a broader range of options to strengthen and modernise other areas of our electoral laws will be released for public comment in 2009. The Government welcomes suggestions on issues that should be addressed in the second paper. Suggestions should be submitted by 23 February 2009.
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