Andrew Murray (WA, Australian Democrats) Share this | Hansard source

I think it is time to put our position with respect to this particular amendment. I made it clear in my earlier remarks that the Democrats do think the issue of third-party involvement in electoral contests is problematic in Australia, as it is in other countries. I also drew attention to the fact that the Americans, amongst others—for example, the British—have paid a great deal of attention in recent times to trying to ensure that free and fair elections are guaranteed and that all contestants, including third parties, are properly disclosed and it is all above board. Therefore I have sympathy with the issue at large being addressed, as opposed to the narrow issue of a particular religious group. There are many groups who have been involved in third party activities, and they vary. Some of them are well above board and some of them are below what is known as the Plimsoll line. So I would be concerned about that.

I think it is an extremely complex area to design, having had a look at some of the overseas provisions and laws, and I am concerned that a single amendment of this kind is unlikely to be able to address the complexity of the issue concerned. So I foreshadow that I would be supportive of the later third reading amendment of the Greens to refer the matter to the Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters for a proper inquiry and reporting. I am supportive of the general concerns, but I do not want to get embroiled in the specifics of the particular case that has been the subject of much of this debate. Because I take that view, the Democrats will not be supporting this particular Greens amendment. We are concerned about the issue of third parties. We will be supporting the later third reading amendment to refer the matter to the Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters.

Question put:

That the amendment (Senator Milne’s) be agreed to.