Democracy for Sale

 14 January 2010 The Age

In an interview with the investigative journalist Royce Millar, Bob Brown said he believed the machines of the big parties, particularly the Labor Party, had intervened to scupper meaningful electoral reforms.  Mr Brown said if Labor failed to honour its commitment to clean up the electoral system, the Greens would table a bill Federal Parliament seeking to do so.

 14 January 2010 The Age

THE staff of Victorian State Government ministers have been encouraged to sign direct debit forms to allow up to 5 per cent of their pay to go to party headquarters in King Street. An alternative on offer is a lump sum donation.  ALP sources say the party wants at least $250,000 from ministerial offices this year.

Media Release - 13 January 2009

The crisis in Australia's electoral funding and disclosure system is set to worsen now that the Rudd government has abandoned passing reform legislation before the next election predicted NSW Greens MP and donations spokesperson Lee Rhiannon today. (http://bit.ly/8wDOLf)

13 January 2010 The Age

Investigative journalist Royce Millar reports that the Rudd Government has abandoned its promise of a new, cleaner system of political funding before the next election.  It appears that the Victorian Labor Government wants to keep its lucrative fund-raising arm Progressive Business intact for the upcoming state and federal elections.  Also, the unions are opposed to the suggested ban on their affiliation fees to the Labor Party which could lead to a loss of power for them.

With the refusal by the Coalition and Fielding to reform the disclosure thresholds for the identification of donors to the parties, Australia now has one of the least transparent regimes among the Western democracies.  And now the arms race for more and more donations will continue.  Will we ever see reform?