‘Real time’ donations disclosure as candidates announced

• Patrick Synge, Public officer – Funding & Disclosure (Inc)

Nominations have now closed for the Tasmanian Local Government Elections and for the first time in Australia candidates are now disclosing in ‘real time’ donations and gifts on the dedicated website www.FundingandDisclosure.org.au

Many candidates are self-funded and receive no donations but, as there are no regulations in this area, some may be receiving generous donations that we know nothing about.

Tasmania is the only state in Australia that has no disclosure requirements. All candidates are invited to submit their details but only a few have currently taken advantage of this opportunity despite having been offered this opportunity to commit to transparency and accountability.

As Patrick Synge of Funding & Disclosure (Inc) points out “The internet is a powerful tool that can help strengthen our democratic process.Many candidates are entirely self-funded or only receive small donations and welcome the opportunity to make this clear to electors. Not having any limit or reporting requirements on the amount of money candidates can receive and spend in order to get elected is an open invitation to corruption. The recent NSW ICAC enquiry has shown us how hidden donations undermine democracy. Now candidates who have nothing to hide can take advantage of this new option – those who don’t choose to do so may have their own reasons not to. Voters can now check before voting and see who has committed to transparency and accountability.”

This ‘real time’ disclosure option only seems to exist in a few places around the world – New York, Ontario and now …….Tasmania.

• Julian Type .ELECTORAL COMMISSIONER, Andrew Hawkey, DEPUTY ELECTORAL COMMISSIONER: Candidates announced

Candidates have been announced for elections being held for all 29 local government councils, with 476 individual candidates (338 men and 138 women) standing for councillor.

91 candidates are standing for mayor and 143 candidates are standing for deputy mayor.

Candidate names are listed in alphabetical order for each election, but they will be rotated on ballot papers. Draws will determine the order of names on the first rotation of ballot papers.

A notice listing all candidates will be placed in Tasmania’s three daily newspapers on Saturday 4 October.

Postal ballot packs will be delivered to electors between Tuesday 14 and Friday 17 October.

The poll closes at 10 am Tuesday 28 October.

People with questions are invited to call 1800 801 701 or visit www.tec.tas.gov

All the candidates can be found here:

http://www.electoral.tas.gov.au/LocalGovernmentElections2014/Media/MR%205%20-%20Candidates%20announced.pdf

• And as the clocked ticked to 9pm (Tues) there were just two disclosures on the website for Hobart City Council… and a total of six for other councils …

• There is a permanent dinkus at the top of favoured blogs (left col) on Tasmanian Times