… and elected members
Longstanding Hobart City Council Alderman Jeff Briscoe said today that under current laws political donations and gifts to candidates in local government elections do not have to be disclosed.
“In Tasmania, it is currently possible for developers to fund candidates for Mayor, Deputy Mayor and councilors without any disclosure at all by the candidates or the developer”.
“Today I am calling upon the new Liberal State Government to implement laws that require all political donations for local government candidates to be disclosed in time for this year’s October local government elections”
“On the mainland there are laws for all candidates for local government positions to disclose political donations and interests”.
In NSW, from 2008, laws have imposed obligations on elected members of Councils and on planning development applicants to make disclosures of political donations and gifts.
“There will be a flood of development applications this year in Councils, particularly for subdivisions as the new Liberal government has removed head works charges” “Overall this change will boost the economy- but we need to have safeguards”
“What we need to do now that interests of the public to be protected and any interests revealed”
“In the interim, I will be seeking changes to the Hobart City Council’s code of conduct to include a register of political donations by way of a notice of motion to the next available Council meeting”
“But this will not cover new candidates in the October elections or applicants for planning decisions”
Alderman Jeff Briscoe Hobart City Council
