[Greens-Media] Fairer, and more Democratic

[Burmester, Tom]

Meredith Hunter MLA
ACT Greens
 
31 August 09

Fairer, and more Democratic 

ACT Greens Parliamentary Convenor, Meredith Hunter MLA, has welcomed the establishment of a select committee inquiry into election funding.

"The Greens have been campaigning for election funding reform for many years," Ms Hunter said today.

"A committee inquiry is the right place for these issues to be looked at and the Greens would expect the inquiry to look at campaign expenditure and donations caps, public funding and reporting of political donations.

"The Greens campaign for electoral funding reform is aimed at strengthening democracy and our party's policies and practices have reflected that.

"There are real concerns that the increasing necessity to raise money, to get well resourced groups or individuals on side, could potentially compromise policy.

The Greens-ALP Agreement commits to passage of legislation which will require all political donations to be disclosed within one month of receipt and in an election period, on a weekly basis.

"Transparency is the first step, but limits on the political influence that money can buy is even more important.

"The ACT can take the lead in ensuring elections are more about ideas and policy than they are about money," Ms Hunter said. 
  
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