STATE POLITICAL DONATIONS REFORM MUST BE IN PLACE BY STATE ELECTION

As Federal Disclosure Threshold Exceed $12,400

The Tasmanian Greens today used Budget Estimate committee hearings to pursue the introduction of state based political donation disclosure reforms, urging that they be in place before the next state election.

Greens Justice spokesperson Kim Booth MP said that the Australian Electoral Commission’s notification earlier this week that the disclosure threshold for political donations is more that $12,400 from July 2013, makes it urgent that state disclosure laws are introduced.

“The lax Federal disclosure laws mean that unless political donations exceed $12,400 the voter will not know who paid what to the federal parties and candidates contesting the September election. And even larger donations will not be disclosed until months after polling day,” Mr Booth said.

“This spells out very clearly why Tasmanians deserve proper state-based political donations disclosure laws in place by the next state election.”

“When Tasmanian voters next go to the polls to elect a State government, they deserve to know in real time who gave what to whom.”

“The Greens expect that any state-based disclosure scheme must provide for real-time disclosure, and a considerably lower disclosure threshold than the federal $12, 400. Our submission to the Attorney-General’s review last year proposed a threshold of $100.”

“We welcome the Attorney-General’s commitment to also introduce an election campaign spending cap for Assembly elections, but all these suggestions are moot unless we act now and ensure they are in place before the next election.”

“The Attorney-General’s consultation process on these reforms closed in April this year, yet we are still waiting for a firm timetable by which we can expect to see legislation tabled in the Parliament,” Mr Booth said.

Reference: http://www.aec.gov.au/Parties_and_Representatives/public_funding/threshold.htm
Kim Booth MP Greens Justice spokesperson Thursday, 6 June 2013