State Labor is calling on the government to release an Electoral Act review report due for release last year
A report on Tasmanian political donation law reform is yet to be made public and State Labor is urging the government to reveal its findings.
Tasmania
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A REPORT on Tasmanian political donation law reform remains locked behind closed doors as the state government is urged to reveal its findings.
The Electoral Act Review Report which assessed the act was due for release last year after the state government commissioned a public consultation.
It was last year revealed almost $75,000 of undeclared funds were donated to the Liberal party over seven years by the private company awarded the contract to run the Hobart Private Hospital.
Labor’s Ella Haddad said Tasmanians had a right to feel cynical “when there is absolutely no system in place to ensure they know who is donating to political parties”.
“Former Premier Will Hodgman promised to fix these broken laws and he commissioned a public consultation. The report from that consultation has been sitting on the Attorney-General’s desk since December – this is the trademark secrecy we have come to expect from Elise Archer,” she said.
“What has the report uncovered and why is the government hiding it nine months later? Why has the new Premier and his Minister seemingly walked away from this vital reform?”
Labor has a Private Members Bill out for community consultation which the party says would address several political donation issues.
If passed, all donations to political parties, individual MPs and candidates over $1000 would be disclosed monthly and there would be spending caps on election campaigns, Ms Haddad said.
When asked if the decision not to release the report was a sign that the government was walking away from law reform, Liberal MP Michael Ferguson said the government’s main focus was the health of Tasmanians and getting people back to work.
“We do have a report, we’re looking at it. The government hasn’t rushed on this because it’s a very complex piece of work and there is no rush – the election is not due for 18 months and frankly, the Labor Party wants the taxpayer paying for their party members’ campaigns,” he said.
Originally published as State Labor is calling on the government to release an Electoral Act review report due for release last year