Kim Carr (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Housing and Urban Development) Share this | Hansard source

I am very concerned about this question. I have mentioned the $1 million. I take it the minister does not dispute that the Liberal Party received $1 million from Michael Ashcroft, which is the largest personal donation. You do not dispute that, do you? I ask the minister: can you confirm that the Citizens Electoral Council’s return in recent years has shown that they have had income in excess of well over $1 million and that the bulk of that income has come from the publications and general management of Leesburg, Virginia, in the United States, which I understand is the headquarters of the LaRouche organisation and that, while the Citizens Electoral Council does declare a small percentage of its fundraising, the overwhelming bulk of it—to the tune of well over 80 per cent of their funds—actually cannot be verified because, while their incomes are stated, the sources of their revenue are not in full but there are claims made that debts are owned to foreign corporations and for printing and other general management services?