Nicola Roxon (Gellibrand, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Health and Ageing) Share this | Hansard source

It is true that our policies have been influenced by people outside our party. For example, we have been influenced by researchers, by public health advocates and by the AMA. We have taken advice from the Preventative Health Taskforce and we have been strongly influenced by the Cancer Council and the Heart Foundation. None of these organisations give us money. Yet in this place, in a couple of months when we are all asked to vote on plain packaging, there will be other influences at play. The coalition denies it is being influenced by big tobacco, but I have discovered something that seems to throw this into question. It is a policy that comes from big tobacco themselves—British American Tobacco, in fact. I think some of those opposite might particularly like to hear this because, despite their protestations, British American Tobacco makes the statement on its own website that their worldwide policy when it comes to donations is:

Such payments can only be made for the purpose of influencing the debate on issues affecting the company …

The Liberal and National parties deny that these contributions have any influence, but the donors say that is the only reason they can actually make a donation. Those opposite might be interested to know something else that is on this website. According to British American Tobacco's own figures, they made political donations in only three countries around the world in 2010. In Canada they made a donation of £1,000 and in the Solomon Islands they made a donation of £2,000. In Australia, they made a donation—to just two parties in this place—of £111,000. So 97 per cent of British American Tobacco's money is spent here on two parties—the Liberal Party and the National Party. And they are asking us to believe that this has no influence on their decision on whether they are going to support plain packaging or not! We have not taken our lead from big tobacco; it is about time the Leader of the Opposition showed that he was not able to be bought by big tobacco and stood up for those who are fighting cancer. It is time to kick the habit, Mr Abbott.

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