Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

The government does not support these amendments. The government’s election commitment to remove tax deductibility for political donations is reflected in the bill as it stands. Amending the bill to allow deductibility for individuals’ donations would significantly diminish the savings in this measure and create an inconsistency between individual and business donations which is not justified. The government does not believe that it is appropriate to allow tax deductions for individuals and businesses who make political donations and, as a result, cannot agree to the amendments.