Media Release – Hidden Money Increases Pressure for Stronger Donations Laws

Independent Member for Nelson Meg Webb will seek to strengthen the Tasmanian Government’s Electoral Disclosure and Funding Bill 2022, which passed the Lower House last year, in light of the latest Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) 2021-22 data released today.

“The latest federal data show a mere 20% of political donations received in 2021-22 were disclosed by the three major political parties in Tasmania, leaving a whopping 80% hidden,” Ms Webb said.

“Notable in the annual data was Federal Labor demonstrating a higher level of transparency with the disclosure of 93.9% of its annual funding, including amounts well under the legal federal threshold of $14,500.

“In contrast, the Tasmanian ALP branch disclosed only 10.4%, equating to $113,058, of its total $1,091,837 in annual receipts.

“The Tasmanian Liberal Party disclosed only 16.5%, equating to $629,168, of its total $3,810,053 in annual receipts.

“The Tasmanian Greens disclosed 57.7%, equating to $383,065, of its total $664,055 in annual receipts.

“This data again exposes a default position of secrecy in the major Tasmanian political parties and makes a clear argument for lower disclosure thresholds.”

Ms Webb said this blackhole of secrecy is exacerbated for Tasmanians.

“We remain the only Australian jurisdiction without our own comprehensive state-based political donations laws in place.

“The unacceptably high level of hidden donations in 2021-22 highlights the need for the Legislative Council to amend the government bill by setting the State disclosure threshold at $1000, which I will seek to do once debate commences.

“The Rockliff Liberal Government has failed to provide any good reason for its preferred $5000 disclosure threshold, despite none of the public submissions to the draft legislation supporting such a high threshold.”

Ms Webb said other State and Territory donation disclosure thresholds range between $1000 and $2500.

“The South Australian Government announced last year its intention to ban political donations before their next state election.

“Democracy should never be for sale, and the way we ensure public confidence and accountability is through rigorous transparency and disclosure.

“We need to break the Tasmanian political parties’ addiction to donations secrecy.

“Real transparency in real time is the bottom line. Tasmanians deserve strong donation disclosure laws in place before the next state election rolls around, and I will seek to introduce lower and timely disclosure threshold, election expenditure caps, and a ban on donations from specific sectors.”

Link to 2021-22 AEC annual returns: https://transparency.aec.gov.au/

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