Media Release – Independents Commit to Pursuing Political Donations Amendments

Independents Commit to Pursuing Political Donations Amendments

Independent Member for Nelson Meg Webb said today Upper House independents will still seek to amend the Government’s weak political donations Bill when it next comes on for debate.

“For nearly two years now, community members and expert stakeholders have worked with Upper House members in good faith developing a raft of considered amendments to make the proposed political donations disclosure system more transparent, equitable, rigorous and timely,” Ms Webb said.

“Independent Members intend to honour that work and we will still pursue on behalf of the community those amendments, including those promised to be put by Labor.

“This could mean we’ll see Labor voting down their own drafted amendment to reduce the $5000 threshold to $1000, and many other important changes.

“We only have Labor’s conspiracy theory that the Government will try to avoid debating an amended Bill, which would be contrary to established parliamentary practice.

“Yes, the Government has dragged its feet unacceptably on political donations reform – but why reward their bad behaviour by giving them what they want uncontested?”

Ms Webb also rejected as inconsistent Labor’s promise to introduce a Private Members Bill.

“If Labor is confident they have the numbers in the Lower House to pass a Private Members Bill on political donations, then they would also have the numbers to force the government to deal with any Legislative Council amended Bill.

“Sadly, this is more of the same. Tasmanians were promised by the Liberals back in 2018 that political donations laws would be prioritised, now we have Labor asking the community to trust their promise of a future private members Bill.

“Labor has hijacked the formerly independent House of Review, and are attempting to render the Legislative Council as an enabler of poor and flawed legislation, leaving the Tasmanian community the loser.

“That is unacceptable, and I will continue to keep doing the important work of our parliamentary House of Review.”