[Greens-Media] Pubs and clubs campaign donations follow the votes

[John Kaye]

Pubs and clubs campaign donations follow the votes 

Media release: 2 October 2010 

Data obtained by the Greens shows that the gambling and alcohol industries have deserted the Labor party and are directing their campaign donations to the Coalition.. 

('Follow the money: clubs back Nats' SMH 2 Oct p. 1 http://bit.ly/smh101002P; 'Health credentials under fire: Coalition takes cash from Big Tobacco' SMH 2 Oct p. 6 http://bit.ly/smh101002Q)

Greens NSW MP John Kaye said: "Without a ban on corporate donations, money from industries seeking favourable state government treatment will flow into the Coalition coffers. 

"Politics in NSW will change little where the dollar amounts are so big that they dominate decision making.

"The National party and Labor should turn their backs on campaign donations from an industry that feeds massive gambling addiction problems and alcohol-fuelled violence.

"These are venues that have lobbied hard to stop regulation that would limit their social and economic impact. The National party with its $105,000 will find it as hard to make decisions in the public interest as Labor did when they were getting more than $300,000 a year," Dr Kaye said.

The data also shows that the National party collected $16,500 from the tobacco industry in the first six months of this year

Dr Kaye said: "Legal product or otherwise, tobacco kills five thousand people a year. A party that wants to form government should have nothing to do with the profits of an industry that they should be aiming to terminate.

"While Labor and the Greens will have nothing to do with an industry that thrives on addicting young people to a lethal carcinogen, the National Party continues to compromise its public health credentials by taking tobacco money.

"A future O'Farrell government will have to explain how they reconcile their financial dependence on tobacco donations and the public health imperative of reducing smoking rates," Dr Kaye said.

For more information: John Kaye 0407 195 455