[Greens-Media] Time to clean up political donations – Hockey and Abbott need to reveal secret donations

[Senator Lee Rhiannon]

MEDIA RELEASE

5 May 2014



Time to clean up political donations – Hockey and Abbott need to reveal
secret donations



Greens democracy spokesperson Senator Lee Rhiannon has called on Prime
Minister Tony Abbott and Treasurer Joe Hockey to reveal details of the
Liberal Party fund raising bodies, the Warringah Forum and the North Sydney
Forum.



“The Prime Minister and Treasurer are now associated with the growing NSW
Liberal Party political donation scandal and need to quickly reveal details
of the members of the Warringah Forum and the North Sydney Forum and the
amount of money they have donated,” Senator Rhiannon said.



“These two Forums effectively sell access to the two most powerful
politicians in Australia.



“Wealthy individuals and companies donate money to election campaigns
through these shady organisations, but the public is not informed of these
connections. This is unacceptable.



“The public have a right to know what donors to these Forums are entitled
to, and if any have received favourable treatment after they made
donations.



“The Treasurer needs to follow his own mantra that the age of entitlement
is over.



“Companies that are members of the Treasurer’s North Sydney Forum could
benefit from decisions that the Cabinet makes.



“The National Australia Bank and the Financial Services Council are
members.



“Amendments to the Future of Financial Advice laws would be a matter of
keen interest to these companies.



“Mr Hockey would not be facing this embarrassing conflict of interest
problem if corporate political donations were banned.



“The Coalition and Labor have regularly voted together to block the Greens
moves to ban donations from for profit organisations,” Senator Rhiannon
said.



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