Donor disclosure push

LABOR and the Greens have called for greater disclosure of political donations and bans on donations from overseas as part of a review into the state’s electoral laws.

Submissions to the State Government’s review of the Electoral Act closed on Friday.

Tasmania’s rules on electoral donations are the laxest in the nation, with voters to only know the following year who closure of political donations of more than $1000.

The party also called for a cap on total donations and bans on large companies, developers, companies that cause harm and foreign supporters donating.

Greens leader Cassy O’Connor said big spending by the Liberals during this year’s state election highlighted the role of big corporate donors.

She said the current review did not go far enough.

“Instead of resolving the crisis of confidence in democracy they helped to perpetuate, the Hodgman Liberals are tinkering around the edges with a review apparently designed to protect their capacity to sell themselves to corporate interests come election time.”

In its submission, Labor also called for real-time disclosure on donations, a ban on anonymous donors and on money from tobacco companies and foreign investors.

“It is often the case that significant amounts of money are spent in election campaigns but people do not know by whom. Members of the public have the right to know who is funding political activities.

“Tasmanian Labor believes in a level playing field, including regulation that ensures people know who is funding elections.”

Labor called for $1 million annual spending caps for political parties and $100,000 for individual House of Assembly candidates.

Civil Liberties Australia Tasmanian director Richard Griggs said the current system was relatively opaque and disclosure took too long.

He said there was a public interest in more transparency.

“Tasmanian political parties should be required to adopt real-time, online, continuous public disclosure of donations of $1000 or more – calculated cumulatively over a year,” CLA said in its submission.

The Government is expeceted to receive a report on the review by the end of the year.