[Greens-Media] NSW takes step towards cleaner politics

[John Kaye]

NSW takes step towards cleaner politics
 
Media release: 28 October 2010
 
Negotiations between the Greens and the Keneally government have
produced an election funding and donations reform package that will
significantly reduce the impacts of big money on politics in this state,
according to Greens NSW MP John Kaye.
 
Dr Kaye said: "The final package is far from perfect but it is much
better than the current laws. It creates a starting point for driving
money politics out of NSW.
 
"It can now pass through the Upper House with the combined votes of
Labor and the Greens who together can form a majority.
 
"We spoke to the Coalition but there was little progress that could be
made with parties that are expecting a flood of corporate donations for
the March 2011 election.
 
"The outcome is a big step forward but we were unable to convince Labor
on a ban on all corporate donations, smaller caps on expenditure and a
more effective model for restricting third parties.
 
"The package provides a public election campaign funding model that
will protect political diversity. 
 
"Labor met us half way by abandoning their original tiered campaign
finance model which would have destroyed new and emerging parties and
locked in power for the Coalition and Labor.
 
"The new progressive tiered funding model and start-up money for new
parties will maintain a dynamic political landscape that will allow new
ideas to be tested before the voters.
 
"While the new public funding model will not deliver a significant
increase in campaign funding for the Greens, it will allow smaller
parties the opportunity to put their case to the people of NSW. 
 
"We would have preferred more progress on key areas of corporate
donations, caps and third parties but we believe that this is the best
that can be achieved at this time.
 
"This is only a first step and there will be an on-going need for
reform until corporate money politics are driven out of this state.
 
"The Greens will be voting for the package, recognising its
imperfections. It is a big step forward over the current system that
does not limit donations or expenditure.
 
"We expect the Coalition will be unhappy and to try to destroy progress
on limiting campaign donations.
 
"We will not allow progress towards cleaner politics in NSW to be
undermined by cheap tricks.
 
"The progress that has been made is a tribute to my former colleague
Senator-elect Lee Rhiannon and her staff, the Director of Democracy for
Sale Dr Norman Thompson and the community groups and academics who have
worked hard to end the influence of money over politics," Dr Kaye said.

 
For more information: John Kaye 0407 195 455 
 
Key points negotiated between the Greens and Labor 
 
Positive outcomes of negotiations
 
Donation caps apply across groups of companies
 
* Labor's proposed cap on corporate donations of $5,000 to a party and
$2,000 to a candidate will now apply to a group of companies, closing a
dangerous loophole. 
 
Fairer public funding for parties and independents 
 
* Labor abandoned its tiered funding model that discriminated against
new, emerging and small parties. The new model is based on capped
reimbursement for expenditure. Public funding will help end reliance on
corporate donations while providing funding to support diversity in
politics .
*  A modest new and small parties start-up/policy development fund. 
 
Issues where Labor would not move
 
Expenditure caps 
* Legislative Assembly party candidates capped at spending $100,000
with independent candidates capped at $150,000. This is too high but
better than no cap.
 
* The state-wide party spending cap is $100,000 for each of the 93
seats a party contests. The maximum cap is $9.3 million and a party
cannot spend more than $50,000 in one seat. This is too high.
 
Third parties
* third parties can still receive donations of $2,000. This is too high
but better than no cap.
 
* Overall third party cap of $1.05 million with a l
imit of $20,000
spent in one electorate. This is high, but previously there was no cap
at all. 
 
 
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John Kaye
Greens member of the NSW Parliament
phone: (02) 9230 2668
fax: (02) 9230 2586
mobile: 0407 195 455
email: john.kaye at parliament.nsw.gov.au
web: www.johnkaye.org.au
 
mail: Parliament House, Macquarie St, Sydney NSW 2000