Thu, 15th May 2008

Rudd & Faulkner trying to stack the deck on campaign finance

Senator The Hon Michael Ronaldson
Shadow Special Minister of State

The Rudd Labor Government’s introduction today of the Commonwealth Electoral Amendment (Political Donations and Other Measures) Bill 2008 smacks of a Government that is trying to stack the deck of self-interest according to Senator Michael Ronaldson, Shadow Special Minister of State.

“What we need is a multi-party review of campaign finance laws with community and stakeholder input, not a Labor Party head office review.

“This is like asking the Collingwood Football Club to review the AFL’s salary cap and draft system.

“On 26 March 2008 Senator Faulkner announced a Green Paper with a view to ‘reform and modernise our electoral processes’ including the issues of disclosure and donations. So why then has the Rudd Labor Government pre-empted their own review with this piecemeal approach?

“Let’s not forget why we are having this debate. We are having this debate because Labor figures in Western Australia, Victoria, Wollongong and Newcastle have been caught out breaking the rules.

“Labor broke the old rules and they will break the new rules too.

“Does anyone seriously believe that these proposed ill-conceived and patchwork rules will make the likes of Brian Burke think twice about breaking them?

“The Coalition has said before that campaign finance reform needs to be broad and bi-partisan and in the best interests of the community and democracy. It needs to be a model that all sides of politics, including minor parties, and the public find acceptable even if it is not 100% what they want. What we see in this Bill is 100% of what Labor Party head office wants. No consultation, no negotiation, no compromise.

“For all we know, this Bill was drafted by Labor Party’s head office. I’m surprised there’s not a ‘written and authorised by Tim Gartrell and Mark Arbib’ tagline at the end of the Bill.

“If Kevin Rudd is fair dinkum about openness, accountability and transparency, he will let the Joint Standing Committee conduct the most comprehensive review and audit of campaign finance regulations since Federation. This review would be multi-party and open and transparent and with input from the public and other stakeholders.

“Prime Minister Rudd likes to portray himself as a beacon of openness, accountability and transparency. He has an army of media advisors that work hand in glove with Hawker Britton and their focus groups to give Kevin Rudd an image of being consultative and open.

“So why then is he dropping this highly controversial Bill in the middle of Budget week? Political insiders all know that Kevin Rudd wants this controversial Bill to get lost in his Budget media spin”, said Senator Ronaldson.