Taxpayers hit in ACT poll reform

Noel Towell

February 23, 2012

Comments 3

The ACT taxpayer looks set to chip in hundreds of thousands of dollars each year for the cost of running the territory's political parties.

The new funding arrangements, to be proposed today when the ACT government tables its long-awaited Campaign Finance Reform Bill in the Legislative Assembly, are being described as a ''trade-off'' for restrictions on fund-raising and campaign spending. The legislation will also put a stop to the controversial practice of donors paying thousands of dollars for a meal with the money going into party coffers, and avoiding disclosure rules.

The government bill would limit donations to candidates or political entities to $10,000 in a financial year, and cap election spending at $60,000 per candidate, allowing each party contesting all 17 seats in a territory election to spend just over $1 million on their campaigns.

There would also be a crackdown on the ability of ''associated entities,'' such as US-style campaign committees to spend money campaigning with their expenditure capped at $30,000.

If passed, the bill would also award each party $20,000 for each MLA per financial year, with strict rules stating that the cash can only be spent on party administration and not campaigning.

Under the present status quo, Labor would receive funding of $140,000 a year, with the Liberals getting $120,000 and the Greens $80,000.

There would also be a nearly 25 per cent increase in the amount parties and candidates are paid for each vote they receive from the present level of $1.57 per vote to $2 per vote.

Attorney-General Simon Corbell said the bill had been drafted after months of negotiation with the Canberra Liberals' Vicki Dunne and the ACT Greens' Meredith Hunter.

Mr Corbell said the new taxpayer funding proposed in the bill would be a necessary ''trade-off,'' to ensure the parties could administer themselves after the reforms.

3 comments so far

Quite frankly, I don't see why we should have to spend ANY money on campaigning. Canberrans know who they are going to vote for or NOT vote for as the case may be. I for one know that I WILL not vote for Labor again while Barr, Corbell and Hargreaves (leaving this year thank God) are around to stuff up Canberra and then mealy mouth about how it is the best for the community. I will never forgive Barr for the school closures, just like I would never ever forgive the "Emergency Services Minister" Stanhope for being unavailable to take calls while he supped with a priest and a judge and Canberra burned.

Commenter

Jeanne

Location

ACT

Date and time

February 23, 2012, 9:35AM
Waste of tax payers money. Let the parties raise their own funds. I have no issue with "US-Style" fund raising.
If it gives an edge to parties that are better connected with successful individuals and businesses (i.e wealthy), so be it.
We need more focus on success in this country and that bring it about so, be it.

Commenter

John121

Location

Date and time

February 23, 2012, 10:40AM
What a preposterous waste of our money. What sheer arrogance to assume the electorate wants this scam. This is just another example of misrepresentation. Make voting voluntary and see how much these crooks would get.

Commenter

Arthur McKenzie

Location

Canberra

Date and time

February 23, 2012, 8:18PM