ATTACK ON DEMOCRACY

THE Electoral Legislation Amendment (Electoral Funding and Disclosure Reform) Bill 2017 is an insidious, anti-democratic attack on civil society, and a key part of the hard-right’s plan to smash people-powered movements by handing over even more influence to corporations and the big business lobby.

This bill will have a huge impact on civil society in a number of ways —

• It will force charities and grassroots organisations to join a government register and follow complex new rules or face 10 years in prison.

• It will destroy the independence of charities and organisations by forcing them to affiliate with one or more political parties.

• It will cut off funding for charities and organisations by forcing anyone who donates more than $4.80 a week to get a formal document signed and witnessed by a Justice of the Peace.

• This bill only applies to civil society. For massive corporations and the fossil fuel lobby it’s business as usual.

Australians’ right to have a voice is under attack from this new legislation - if the bill passes Parliament, it will entrench the power of massive multinationals in our politics at the expense of our democratic rights. It’s now up to Labor to block this draconian bill and stop this dangerous attack on our democracy. ADRIAN COOKE, Wilsonton