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

I find it quite unbelievable that Senator Conroy has interjected in relation to this matter. Sometimes it is smarter to say nothing than to toss in a throwaway line. I appreciate that his recent ‘marriage’ to Senator Carr in Victoria has probably clouded his judgement a little bit. In fact, if it had happened to me it would have completely clouded mine.

I think it is extraordinary that we had evidence this morning that the federal Labor Party rejected a donation of $499,980 from the wife of Mr Stanley Ho but that the New South Wales division of the Labor Party was quite happy to accept—taking a figure off the top of my head—something approaching $600,000 or $800,000. And where did that money end up? In the finances of the federal Labor Party. So do not talk to me, Senator Conroy, about foundations. Please, jump up and tell the chamber that there are no foundations run by the Labor Party that are providing administrative support to the Australian Labor Party, because you know as well as I do that that is patent nonsense.

That sort of interjection is actually standing in the way of a sensible approach to this issue. We have all acknowledged that there is an issue and we all acknowledge that we have got to do something about it—or we can play games. You were prepared to sit back and accept $61.4 million in funding from the union movement between 1 July 2006 and 30 June 2008, and then you come in here with legislation that is designed to protect union donations going to Australian Labor Party coffers but that denies tax deductibility for ordinary Australians who want to participate in the political process. The level is very small, but they are passionate about it. I think we have got a clear indication of who wants campaign finance reform and who does not. I suspect that it is this side of the chamber and the Greens and Family First and Senator Xenophon, but it is not the Australian Labor Party. So either we approach this sensibly or we have churlish and childish interjections about who is doing what.

I am backing the side that thinks we need to do something. I am backing the side of the Australian community, who think there is something terribly wrong with our system. They have watched the Wollongong sex and bribery scandal and they know that if we do not do something the only ones who will suffer will be the Australian community. But we have got this tax deductibility bill that does not resolve the Wollongong sex and bribery scandal.

Let us have a sensible discussion about where we are going to take the campaign finance reform agenda. Let us work together, which I think we are capable of doing, and let us get an outcome that is an appropriate legacy to restore some confidence in the system, because I think that confidence has, quite frankly, disappeared. It is incumbent upon us to do something about it. But when you are protecting your funding base by bringing in legislation that is designed only to maintain a difference in ability to raise funds, I do not think you are terribly serious about it. If it is trying to entrench a differential between the Australian Labor Party and every other political party in this country, I think the Australian Labor Party needs to have a good, long, hard look at itself. There is no point in going through processes such as the green paper and protesting that you are engaged in this process when today, 24 hours after the AEC released its figures for last year, you are prepared to debate in this place a bill with which you are trying to entrench that differential. It really does beggar belief. So let us do this properly and acknowledge the role of political parties and individuals within the political system and let us acknowledge that they do require funding to maintain their activities. Let us sit down and work out the best way of delivering that which restores some confidence back into the system for the Australian people.