Cassy O'Connor MP | Greens Leader
The Greens are disappointed both the Liberal and Labor Parties joined together, once again, to vote against donation transparency and democratic process.
Both the Liberal and Labor parties have voted to keep Tasmanians in the dark on donations.
As it currently stands, voters have to wait up to 18 months after an election to find out which corporate interests have donated to which political party.
The old parties seem to have a problem with openness when it comes to who is buying their favour.
For decades Federal Hotels have propped up both Labor and the Liberal election campaigns, an investment in retaining their exclusive monopoly deed.
In the lead up to the last State Election, the Liberals received sizable donations from corporations like AMP, HealthScope, Pathology Australia.
It is reasonable to ask what influence or decision those donations bought.
Disgraced education provider, Careers Australia, donated $22 000 to the State Liberals in the lead up to the 2014 election. But voters didn't know until the Australian Electoral Commission released the information 18 months later.
At last weekend's State Conference, the Tasmanian Greens committed to the real time disclosure of all donations over $1,500. It's frustrating, but somewhat unsurprising, the old parties won't commit to following suit.
Tasmanians deserve more from both the Liberal and Labor Parties. They deserve to know in real time who is gifting those parties thousands of dollars, and to what end.
Greens' Motion, below:
Greens Leader, Cassy O'Connor MP
On tomorrow to move:
That this House:
1. Agrees that voters should know which corporate interests are donating how much to which political party in the lead up to an election
2. Acknowledges electoral donation transparency is critical to the healthy functioning of democracy;
3. Congratulates the Queensland State Government which is moving to real time electoral donation disclosure from February 2017 and the ACT Government which is also committed to real time donations’ disclosure;
4. Notes the Tasmanian Greens' decision at their 2016 State Conference to go it alone on real time donation disclosure;
5. Further notes that Senator Jacquie Lambie has implemented real time disclosure of donations
5. Supports the real time disclosure of electoral donations for all political parties and candidates in Tasmania. (13 September 2016)