New $250,000-a-year sweetener added to Andrews Government donations laws

INDEPENDENT MPs are in line to get $1 million each parliamentary term after the Andrews Government made 11th- hour changes to its draft political donations laws to secure parliamentary support.

INDEPENDENT MPs are in line to get $1 million each parliamentary term after the Andrews Government made 11th- hour changes to its draft political donations laws to secure parliamentary support.

As a result of this arrangement, under which pro rata payments would be provided between August 1 and November’s election, disgraced MP Don Nardella could reap $78,767 before retiring.

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DEVIL IN DETAIL OF DONATIONS LAWS

Don Nardella. Picture: Nicole Garmston

The former Labor MP now sits as an independent after being forced to quit the party for wrongly claiming a second residence allowance intended for country MPs.

The amendments, made late last Friday night, will increase “administration expenditure funding” to smaller parties and independents.

This is worth $250,000 a year to independents and parties that get one MP elected. A party gets an extra $40,000 a year for each extra MP elected, up to a cap of 45 MPs.

The changes, put to the Legislative Council after a backroom deal was struck between the government and the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party, will cost taxpayers an extra $8 million.

The overall package, which was created to cap private ­donations and to ban foreign donations, will now cost taxpayers $53 million over the next parliamentary term.

Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party MPs Jeff Bourman (RIGHT) and Daniel Young. Picture: Mark Wilson

Special Minister of State Gavin Jennings told parliament a flat $40,000 per MP payment “gave an advantage to the large parties and a ­disadvantage, as a consequence, to smaller parties”, which therefore needed extra.

MPs expect the Bill to pass at a vote due next month.

Greens leader Samantha Ratnam told parliament she supported the administration funding, but wanted to change how much political parties got for each MP.

“You are providing an incentive for MPs to leave and become independents, with that much funding for the first MP,” she said.

Victorian Greens leader Samantha Ratnam. Picture: Andrew Henshaw

But Vote 1 Jobs MP James Purcell told the Herald Sun on Tuesday night the entire process was an “outrageous” attempt by politicians to “feather their own nests”. “I think voters would think it’s disgraceful,” he said.

Labor sources expect Mr Nardella, who is still repaying $98,254 he claimed for the allowance, to refuse the money.

The payment would also go to independent Russell Northe, who stood down from the Nationals after racking up debts to party members and taking time off over mental health and gambling problems