Democracy Corrupted

[Oquist, Ben (Sen B. Brown)]

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Friday, 16 March 2001

Democracy Corrupted

Revelations in today's Sydney Morning Herald that the Federal Liberal Party
is offering certain business executives a role in devising Liberal policy
for $ 7500 amounts to a corruption of the democratic process, Greens Senator
Bob Brown said today.

"Policy input and access to ministers should not be able to be bought by
corporations.  It is anathema to the notion of 'one vote one value' and it
reeks havoc with the public interest," Senator Brown said.

"The law needs to be changed to prevent the spread of what is a rot eating
at the fabric of our parliamentary system of government.
 
"The ballooning in corporate donations and fundraising in Australia amounts
to an Americanisation of Australia's democracy

"The old parties (Labor, Liberal and Democrats) are increasingly relying on
corporate donations to fund their campaigns, meanwhile the public is feeling
further and further alienated from politicians.  Today's revelations are
bound to foster that voter disenchantment and cynicism.

"I will be proposing a new system for corporate donations in Australia
whereby all such donations are put into a 'Democracy Trust Fund' and
distributed to all political parties according to their share of the vote,"
Senator Brown said.
                      
Further information: Ben Oquist 02 62773170 or 0419704095


Ben Oquist
Greens Senator Bob Brown
02 62773170 ph
02 62773185 fx
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