Self-interest rules on political donation law change

The Liberal Government’s push to classify unions and other progressive organisations as associated entities is punitive. There are already clear procedures in place for disclosure to the Australian Electoral Commission. If any groups campaign during elections on certain specific issues they have to declare to the AEC any expenditures incurred.

The bias of the Coalition’s electoral changes is also revealed by the fact that the Coalition parties for years have fought many attempts to have their own fund-raising organisations classified as associated entities by the AEC.

One of the most celebrated cases is the Greenfields Foundation, which has financial ties with the Liberal Party. Only after considerable effort on the part of the AEC and a change in the Electoral Act did Greenfields finally submit an unsigned form, under protest, giving the required financial information on its donations to the Liberal Party.

Another instance is the attempt by the AEC to have six organisations associated with the NSW Nationals declared associated entities. Each of these groups is based in the Nationals’ state office or uses the party’s post office box.

During the past six years these organisations, that to many fit the definition of an associated entity, have contributed over $4.2 million to the coffers of the NSW Nationals. But the party refuses to classify them as associated entities.

After three years of investigations, the AEC did decide these organisations could not be classified as associated entities. But an official of the AEC did note that the Electoral Law is murky and it is difficult for the AEC to prove a company is an associated entity.

Rather than weaken the disclosure laws, the government should follow the recommendations of the AEC and increase transparency. But with the allure of bulging party coffers and electoral victory, the partisan disclosure proposals look set to become law in the New Year. Democracy and the Australian people will be the losers.