[Greens-Media] MARK PARNELL MLC: Ban Corporate Donations, say Greens

[Greens]

Media Release
6th July 2007
                        

Ban Corporate Donations, say Greens

All donations from large corporations to politicians and political
parties should be banned, says Greens MLC Mark Parnell.

Responding to the revelations that Forestry Minister Rory McEwen has
received money from companies in the forestry sector, including Auspine,
Greens Upper House MP Mark Parnell has called for a complete overhaul of
the rules that govern political donations.

"It is clear that rules abut gifts to independent MP's needs to be
tightened.  But no matter if it is called a 'gift' or a 'donation', it
is unhealthy for our democracy for a Minister to be receiving direct
financial benefit from companies within their portfolio," he said.

The system overhaul must include all political parties, not just
independents.

"Rory McEwen is quite right when he says there is a double standard
operating between independent and major party Ministers.

"But the solution is not less disclosure, it's more transparency for
everyone, especially Ministers from the major parties.  And a good start
would be to ban donations from all large corporations.

"The system must not just be clean, it must be seen to be clean. And
right now the system of political donations stinks to high heaven," he
said. 

 
	For more information go to www.democracy4sale.org
<http://www.democracy4sale.org/>  


 
For further comment contact Craig Wilkins on 0434 007 893

	
 
 



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