Michael Ronaldson (Victoria, Liberal Party, Shadow Special Minister of State) Share this | Hansard source

I move:

(1)

That the following matter be referred to the Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters for inquiry and report:

All aspects of the 2007 Federal Election and matters related thereto, with particular reference to:

(a)

the level of donations, income and expenditure received by political parties, associated entities and third parties at recent local, state and federal elections;

(b)

the extent to which political fundraising and expenditure by third parties is conducted in concert with registered political parties;

(c)

the take up, by whom and by what groups, of current provisions for tax deductibility for political donations as well as other groups with tax deductibility that involve themselves in the political process without disclosing that tax deductible funds are being used;

(d)

the provisions of the Act that relate to disclosure and the activities of associated entities, and third parties not covered by the disclosure provisions;

(e)

the appropriateness of current levels of public funding provided for political parties and candidates contesting federal elections;

(f)

the availability and efficacy of ‘free time’ provided to political parties in relation to federal elections in print and electronic media at local, state and national levels;

(g)

the public funding of candidates whose eligibility is questionable before, during and after an election with the view to ensuring public confidence in the public funding system;

(h)

the relationship between public funding and campaign expenditure; and

(i)

the harmonisation of state and federal laws that relate to political donations, gifts and expenditure.

Question agreed to.