Democracy for Sale

Political donations remain big business for Australia's major political parties. In return for hefty contributions, businesses and individuals get access to ministers and political leaders all the way up the chain.  Listen to ABC TV''s Lateline on the large amount of money donors spend in order to gain access to politicians in the major parties.

Lee Rhiannon calls on both the NSW Premier Nathan Rees and Coalition opposition leader Barry O'Farrell to follow the example of Queensland Premier Anna Bligh and ban their MPs from political fundraising functions with businesses.  Anna Bligh's move is a courageous step that should be followed by all Australian political party leaders

Both Senator Bob Brown and MLC Lee Rhiannon renewed pressure on the Federal and NSW governments to reform the electoral funding system.  The National ALP conference in Sydney this week with the selling of access to politicians combined with Premier Anna Bligh's conversion to donation reform has placed the spotlight on urgent need for immediate action by Australian governments.  Read Brown's and Rhiannon's statements below.

The Age today (27 July 2009) called on the federal government to follow the lead of over 40 other countries, including Britain, the US and Canada, to ban foreign donations.  The Greens and Labor strongly support such a ban.  However, this March the Coalition and Senator Fielding defeated an amendment to the Electoral Act that would bar donations and gifts from foreign sources.