Larissa Waters (Queensland, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

The Greens support increased transparency, and we believe that people should know who is influencing the decisions made by their representatives. But this proposal doesn't seek more transparency about politicians' relationships with all groups—only some groups. It doesn't seek disclosure of senators' relationships with religious groups or industry lobby groups—no, it's just another in a very long line of thinly veiled attacks on charities and the not-for-profit sector. The previous government consistently tried to silence the voices of organisations fighting in the public interest, whether they were refugee advocates, environmental groups or welfare organisations. They threatened the tax-deductibility of environmental charities, they cut funding to NGOs, they gagged charities from engaging in public debate, they tied charities up in red tape, and they tried—and, thankfully, failed—to remove charitable status of organisations involved in protests against unconscionable laws. This motion isn't about transparency. If you were actually serious about that, you'd be calling for donations reform and stopping the revolving door that will set people like you up for a future job— (Time expired)