Canberra Votes: Tim Hollo promises to push for political donation ban

Greens Candidate for Canberra Tim Hollo says if elected he’d push to ban political donations from the fossil fuel, gambling, and defence industries. Have your say in our poll.

Greens candidate for Canberra Tim Hollo has promised if elected his first action in parliament would be to introduce a bill to ban political donations from companies in a range of industries.

The bill would aim to ban donations from companies in the fossil fuel, gambling, defence, banking, alcohol, tobacco and property development industries.

Mr Hollo said he would additionally seek to cap all other donations, including donations from individuals, unions and charities, to $1000 per year.

“Getting the corrosive influence of big money out of politics is the crucial first step in making sure we can move on all the other issues our community cares about, from climate action to housing affordability to getting dental and mental health care covered by Medicare,” Mr Hollo said.

Supplied Editorial Tim Hollo Greens Candidate for Canberra. Picture: Facebook

“How can we imagine we’ll get action on the climate crisis while fossil fuel corporations buy so much access to Liberal, National and Labor ministers and shadow ministers?

“How can we expect the old parties to make the billionaires and big corporations pay their fair share of tax when they collect millions of dollars in donations from them?”

Mr Hollo said the bill would be similar to a 2020 senate bill brought to parliament by Greens Senator Larissa Waters.

He said while he supported momentum for a federal anti-corruption commission, he said “too much of the corruption in our system is perfectly legal and supposedly above board.”

“Until we get donations under control, an anti-corruption commission can’t actually stop the main source of corruption: big money buying influence,” he said.

“Democracy is supposed to be one person, one vote.

“The donations system makes a mockery of that principle – it has to end for the sake of our democracy.”