Source of income for Tasmanian political parties still largely unknown as 2020-21 disclosures released

Adam Holmes | Examiner | 2 February 2022 

Tasmanians have gone another 12 months without knowing how its major political parties receive the vast majority of their income after public disclosures for 2020-21 were released on Tuesday.

Tasmania is the only state or territory without its own disclosure laws, meaning it is covered by the Commonwealth’s threshold of $14,300 for funding to be publicly disclosed.

This is compared with a threshold of $1000 in NSW, Queensland, Victoria, the ACT and the Northern Territory.

As a result, the source of 81 per cent of the Tasmanian Liberal Party’s $3.42 million in income for 2020-21 remained unknown, although the disclosures did reveal the identity of some major donors.

Pratt Holdings – which trades as Visy – donated $50,000 to the party, while donations of $13,800 from the Australian Hotels Association, $14,488 from the Registered Clubs of NSW and $15,000 from Responsible Wagering Australia were listed on donor returns, but not party returns.

An individual named Richard Smith donated $50,000, while Ben Gray donated $33,200. Mr Smith’s donation was one of only two disclosed for the Tasmanian Liberals during last year’s election campaign.

The source of 72 per cent of the Tasmanian branch of the Labor Party’s $1.17 million in income was unknown.

Public disclosures included a $103,750 donation from Erin Bromfield and $25,000 from Bti Pty Ltd, and $51,400 in “other” receipts from the Health and Community Services Union and the retail union Shop Distributive and Allied.

The party also received $25,000 from Kinetic – the owner of Redline buses – along with $13,500 from lobbyist firm Anacta Strategies, $5000 from Maurice Blackburn law firm and $1000 from the Australian Hotels Association.

The AEC included details of 26 per cent of the Tasmanian Greens’ income, including $165,114 from the party’s national office, a $54,497 bequest and a $10,000 donation from Duncan Turpie.

However the party also discloses donations over $1500 on its website, adding $81,885, and taking its total public disclosure to 34 per cent.

Political donation disclosure reform to be debated this year

The Tasmanian Government plans to introduce donation disclosure reform this year – despite it being promised before the last election – with plans for a $5000 donation threshold which it claims “strikes the right balance”.

This would bring Tasmania in line with South Australia as having the equal-weakest disclosure laws.

The Tasmanian Greens have proposed a $1000 disclosure threshold, and a $3000 cap on donations.

Nelson independent MLC Meg Webb said she wanted an “urgent update” on the government’s plans, including a consultation report, revised bill and for submissions to be published.

Read Meg’s Submission to the Electoral Disclosure and Funding Bill 2021 Exposure Draft

See more of Meg’s recent media.