PUBLIC TO PAY POLL FUNDS

VICTORIANS would fork out more than $55 million to fill party war chests for election campaigns under a proposed State Government overhaul of the system of political donations.

Legislation to go before parliament would cap cash donations to political parties from an individual or organisation at $4000 over a four-year term.

But taxpayers will foot the bill for the tens of millions of dollars of forgone donations.

Special Minister of State Gavin Jennings revealed the plan yesterday in parliament.

“Yes, public funding,” Mr Jennings said. “Yes, accountability; yes, transparency; yes, predictability and reducing political influence. These tough new donation laws will be the strictest and most transparent in the country.”

However, some Spring St sources questioned why political donations were not being banned entirely if the public was to pay.

State and federal governments are facing pressure to reform political donations.

At the last state election, Victorian parties pocketed more than $54 million in untraceable funds and $388,000 was wrongly paid by parliament to Labor Party campaign staff in a rorts-forvotes scheme.

If passed the new laws will introduce a range of new measures including: REDUCING disclosure limits from $13,500 to $1000 and ensuring they are made public in real time. INTRODUCING a 10-year jail sentence for people found flouting the rules. BANNING all foreign donations. ONE individual cannot donate to more than six third-party campaigners. A NEW vote-based funding method to tally up campaign funds. BUNTING and signage restrictions will be introduced around polling stations.

Under the new model, parties will receive a $6 payment for every vote in the Legislative Assembly and $3 in the Legislative Council, along with a $40,000 administration payment for each MP per year, totalling $55 million.

Currently parties receive $1.79 per vote, which amounts to about $10 million.

The Electoral Legislation Amendment Bill 2018 will also move to modernise outdated election practices, including counting postal votes before election night.

Unions membership fees will not be changed but they cannot give large donations to individual MPs or parties.