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

The South Australian Labor government just announced its intention to ban donations to political parties. The Greens have long called for comprehensive donations reform to get the influence of big money out of politics: donations caps, real-time disclosure and a ban on dirty donations from dirty vested interests who buy political outcomes, like stopping the coal and gas companies from running this place behind closed doors because of the donations they make. We welcome the SA government's move, although we do need to ensure that any reform doesn't ignore third parties or stifle smaller parties and Independents. After all, diversity is vital for a healthy democracy.

Prime Minister Albanese made big promises about transparency and accountability before coming into government, but we have been waiting for over two years and are yet to see or be consulted on any electoral reform legislation from this government. Earlier this year, I joined with crossbench colleagues to introduce an electoral reform bill that would improve transparency, introduce truth in political advertising, reduce the influence of lobbyists, level the playing field and increase territory representation. The Greens remain ready to work walk towards genuine electoral reform.

People are desperate for a parliament that is more diverse and more representative. They don't want the Coles and Woolies of politics anymore, and they're sick of not being able to tell the difference between the two major parties on most of the issues that matter to them. This is why support for the big parties is falling, and this is exactly why the government now has a choice. Will the Labor Party do a dirty deal with the Liberal Party so that you can both keep the donations rolling in from coal and gas? Or will this government commit to genuine electoral reforms that actually improve democratic outcomes? We all can't wait to see the answer to that.