Anne McEwen (SA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

At the request of Senator Collins, I move:

That the Senate supports the following reforms to the regulation of political donations:

(a)   a donation disclosure threshold of $1,000;

(b)   a ban on overseas donations;

(c)   a $50 cap on anonymous donations; and

(d)   action to prevent donation splitting that avoids disclosure obligations.

Scott Ryan (Victoria, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Gavin Marshall (Victoria, Deputy-President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

Scott Ryan (Victoria, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The government does not support this motion. Labor had six years to change the political donations disclosure threshold yet decided not to. Clearly, someone in the Labor Party now believes a lower threshold will somehow be politically beneficial. A lower threshold will not change the fact that the Labor Party is a subsidiary of the union movement and in the last 10 years union contributions to the Labor Party have been over $98 million. Labor would be better to focus their efforts on complying with the current rules rather than trying to change them. A new threshold makes no difference when not complied with. We were all made aware of the Leader of the Opposition having trouble declaring a donation to his election campaign in 2007 and doing so late. The current arrangements reflect the appropriate balance been transparency and enabling Australians to participate in the political process.

Question agreed to.