Democracy for Sale

 5th March 2010

The SA Greens are committed to open and transparent disclosure of all donations received.

We are also committed to disclosure when the information counts: BEFORE South Australians cast their vote on March 20 2010.

Donations received by the SA Greens 1 July 2009 - 5th March 2010 (over a threshold of $1,500).

Australian Building Construction Workers’ Federation (ABCWF)                   $10,000

(this list will be updated up until March 19 2010)

26th February 2010

Greens MLC Mark Parnell has called for all state registered parties and independents to reveal who is paying for their campaigns as a first step to broader election campaign funding reform.

 Because SA does not have any state based electoral funding laws only federally registered parties have to reveal their funding sources.

 “This is an outrageous loophole in our election laws,” said Greens MLC Mark Parnell.

12th February 2010

Greens MLC Mark Parnell has accused the Labor party of breaching caretaker provisions by using the lure of ‘close-up’ access to ‘Cabinet Ministers’ for fundraising events during the election period.

 An email has been sent by Nick Bolkus, Chair of SA Progressive Business for a ‘Premier and Cabinet Campaign Close-up Dinner’ inviting members of the business community to a $1,250 a ticket event on the 10th of March.

4th February 2010

Greens MLC Mark Parnell has slammed the decision to approve the Buckland Park super suburb north of Adelaide.

 “It is hard to imagine a worse development for Adelaide,” said Greens MLC and planning lawyer Mark Parnell.

 “It fails every single test – this commuter suburb is miles away from major services and employment, on a flood plain, next to a garden waste composting facility, without any direct public transport.  As soon as petrol prices rise, thousands of Buckland Park residents will be left stranded and vulnerable. 

 “The developers have failed woefully to respond to significant concerns raised during the EIS process. The Planning Minister Paul Holloway must stand condemned for such a devastatingly poor planning decision,” he said.

 The project’s developer, Walker Corporation, gave a donation to the SA Labor party of $25,000 in 2005/06, the year the project was first announced.

Monday 1 Feb 2010

Greens MLC Mark Parnell has again called for comprehensive political donations law reform in response to the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) release of its donations and receipts data for 2008/09.

 “There is a murky river of gold flowing into political parties that the SA people simply do not know about,” said Greens MLC Mark Parnell.

 “ South Australia has the worst political donations laws in the nation.  Because of our slack laws, millions of dollars are flowing into the Labor and Liberal parties that do not need to be declared.

 “That is bad for democracy, especially just weeks out from an election campaign,” he said.

29th January 2010

To coincide with the release of the 2010 AEC donations data, check out this briefing note on political donations in SA. 

17/11/09 11:00 am

Greens MLC Mark Parnell has called on Premier Rann and Opposition Leader Isobel Redmond to immediately ban all donations from property developers in the wake of NSW Premier Nathan Rees’ similar move in that state.

“When favourable Government decisions follow cosy lunches bought by the big end of town there will always be a stench, even if the decision is ultimately the right one,” said Greens MLC Mark Parnell.

“Unless and until the SA Labor and Liberal parties have the courage to say no to developers with fat wallets, the community will quite rightly fear that our democracy is for sale to the highest bidder,” he said.

There is a lot of confusion about the current rules for political donations in South Australia.  To help you navigate your way through this issue, check out this briefing note