Patrick Gorman (Perth, Australian Labor Party, Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

Those recommendations, on the table for more than 1½ years, clearly recommended lowering the disclosure threshold to $1,000, and we've got to get that done. None of us in this place is guaranteed a seat in the next parliament—not one of us. That's a really important principle. Therefore, if we have an opportunity to do something about this, we should do it now.

The second recommendation—really clear, up front—was that the Australian government introduce real-time disclosure requirements. Again, that is what the government is doing: acting on this report, and acting within the same parliament to which it was delivered—because there is no guarantee; the Australian people reign supreme in this system. We're trying to give them more power through these reforms, but they decide who's here in the next parliament. We want to make sure the job they sent us to do this time is done.

Reforms to the definition of a gift were recommended, to ensure more transparency and meet community expectations of political donations. Again, recommendation 4—right up front, on the first page:

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government introduce donation caps for federal election donations.

Then, right after that, right next to it, is recommendation 5:

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government introduce expenditure (also known as spending) caps for federal elections.

And that is what we are doing, and that is what's at debate right now with this amendment. I don't see how anyone can go back to their electorates and say, 'We want to see more of those $2 million versus $2 million campaigns, big money versus big money, election after election.' It's unsustainable. It is not in our democratic principles as a nation. We want to make sure the Australian people get the chance to have their voice heard, whoever they choose to send to this place. That's why the government can't support these amendments. They are not consistent with the recommendations of the Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters and not consistent with the expectations of the Australian people. (Time expired)

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