Be generous with the truth

THE debate around political donations exploded back onto the public agenda this month. It all started up innocently enough at an event to open the Crowne Plaza Hobart.

Tasmanian Hospitality Association chief Steve Old said he helped Kalis Group circumvent trouble getting staff into the state to finish the project on time.

He thanked Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment secretary Tim Baker for his assistance in getting the workers exemptions from quarantine regulations.

But Mr Baker’s department was not the one handling exemptions, which were the responsibility of the State Controller Darren Hine.

The THA was a major Liberal Party donor in the lead-up to the last state election, with $269,750 in declared contributions. Kalis Hospitality donated $70,000 to the Liberals.

Premier Peter Gutwein hit out when questioned about the comments, describing the line of inquiry as a “witch hunt”.

He vehemently denied there was any wrongdoing. But it once again reminded Tasmanians of the lack of transparency that can exist around decisionmaking in government.

The coronavirus crisis has seen the public pour a great deal of trust into the government, and give up our personal freedoms.

But the stink around donations won’t go away until we have serious reform.

Tasmania has the weakest electoral funding laws in the nation.

The current rules mean 77 per cent of the $5.72 million donated last financial year to the state’s three major parties will never be revealed (the Greens have disclosed theirs voluntarily).

Single donors can make as many donations as they like under the $13,800 threshold and remain anonymous.

And those donations that do need to be disclosed only need to be done so once a year, months and months after the cash is delivered to the parties.

Tasmania needs reform to bring our state in line with the rest of the country in terms of donations disclosure.

The threshold needs to be lowered and the declarations should be filed more promptly.

The Election Funding Reform group last week released a plan which included bans on foreign and secret donations, plus contributions from property developers and the liquor, tobacco and firearms industries.

And on Monday, Labor said it would attempt to fix the state’s donation laws with a private members Bill.

The Bill requires parties to disclose all donations of more than $1000, and sets spending caps of $100,000 per candidate and $1,000,000 per party per lower house election.

The bill would also ban anonymous donations of more than $1000.

Greens leader Cassy O’Connor said the Bill didn’t go far enough, while Attorney-General Elise Archer said the government had been too busy dealing with the coronavirus crisis to push through any change — hardly a reasonable excuse given how long this debate has been in motion.

We need transparency around donations. It’s impossible for any party to maintain the full trust of the voting public without it, and it’s long past time for change.

Responsibility for all editorial comment is taken by the Editor, Jenna Cairney, Level 1, 2 Salamanca Square, Hobart, TAS, 7000