24.7.07

Open government group shocked by dropping of anonymous election donation controls

The Coalition for Open Government says the government has failed to deliver on its most important promise for election finance reform - ending large anonymous donations and secret election trust funds.

The Electoral Finance Bill, introduced in Parliament today, lacks the provisions for controlling anonymous election donations.

The Coalition is deeply disappointed that the politicians responsible have backed down from the promise to bring openness and transparency to political donations.

"The Coalition for Open Government is shocked that these proposals have been dropped," said spokesperson Steven Price. "Our top priority in the coming months will be getting decent controls on anonymous donations back into the legislation.

"The group strongly supports the parts of the legislation requiring third parties like the Exclusive Brethren to disclose all their major donors. But it's ludicrous that the bill doesn't require the same of political parties - knowing who funds our political parties is far more important than knowing who's bankrolling third parties.

Steven Price said the group had been expecting to be applauding much of the new legislation, but the dramatic cop-out has left it dismayed. "There seemed to be enough support in Parliament for more transparency," he said. "We don't understand why the government has backed down."

What's changed? - What they said then:

"I can also advise Mr English that the electoral finance proposals I will be putting forward will involve a clear choice between either an open, a transparent, and a fair system or a continuation of the current system, which, regrettably, The Hollow Men shows is unduly open to secret trusts and manipulation by hidden and wealthy interest groups."

-Justice Minister Mark Burton, Questions for Oral Answer April 5, 2007

"I look forward to the National Party's support for clamping down on anonymous donations. I understand that in Australia everything over $250 has to be declared. That sounds like a good idea to me."

-Helen Clark, Questions for Oral Answer, September 6, 2007

"The proposals being put forward by my colleague Justice Minister Mark Burton involve a clear choice - an open transparent system or the continuation of the current system which, as Mr Hager's book proved, is open to secret trusts and secret influence," Dr Cullen concluded.

Michael Cullen - April 5 2007

ENDS

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