Senator John Faulkner
02/2009
2 February 2009
Today’s release by the Australian Electoral Commission of financial returns for political parties, associated entities, and of third party political expenditure has revealed another escalation in private donations to political parties and candidates, but a further shrouding of the identities of donors.
The number of political donor disclosures has dropped by 75% since the 2004 Federal election.
This drop, due to the Howard Government’s massive increase in the donation disclosure threshold, demonstrates the need for urgent reform.
In election year 2004/05, when the disclosure threshold was $1500, 1286 donor returns were disclosed. In the run-up to the 2007 election, with a disclosure threshold of more than $10,000 only 334 donor returns were received.
For election year 2007, where political expenditures reached a massive $212 million it is impossible to track the identities of many donors.
The Government’s Electoral Amendment (Political Donations and Other Measures) Bill 2008 to bring disclosure thresholds down from the current $10,900 to $1000 was stymied in June 2008 by the Opposition..
In a self-serving move to prevent transparency, the Liberals referred the Bill to a committee for report back after June 2009.
The Bill, which will be scheduled for debate in the Senate again shortly, will not only bring the disclosure threshold down to $1000, but will also:
Mr Turnbull should reverse the Opposition’s antagonistic attitude to this transparency and accountability Bill.
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