Pembroke candidate Tony Mulder praises mystery donor who left $3000 cash in envelope

Tasmanian upper house candidate, Tony Mulder, has expressed his thanks and gratitude to an anonymous political donor who hand-delivered an envelope containing $3000 cash to his home letterbox.

Candidate for Pembroke, Tony Mulder. Picture: SAM ROSEWARNE.

Tasmanian upper house candidate, Tony Mulder, has expressed his thanks and appreciation to the anonymous political donor who hand-delivered an envelope containing $3000 cash to his home letterbox in March, saying it had made a positive difference to his low-budget campaign.

The Clarence councillor and former Legislative Council member for Rumney, who is seeking to revive his parliamentary career in the seat of Pembroke at the 24 May election, said he immediately declared the sum on the council’s public register of gifts and donations, before emailing colleagues to explain the donation’s circumstances.

“Pursuant to the requirements of the Local Government Act, I advise that I have received a gift to the value of $3000,” Mr Mulder wrote.

Tony Mulder. Picture: MATHEW FARRELL

“The donation was in the form of cash and contained in an envelope that said ‘good luck’ left in my letterbox.

“The donor is unknown to me, but the timing seems to relate to the Pembroke election.”

Mr Mulder told the Mercury that while the donation’s circumstances were certainly unique for him, he had no doubt the cash was intended to assist his efforts on the hustings.

Mr Mulder said the money had funded the printing and posting of election brochures sent to constituents in the Eastern Shore seat.

“I have already spent it on my campaign,” he said of the mystery donation.

“The envelope had the words ‘good luck’ on it, and it turned up just after I put my posters out.

“So someone’s obviously seen them and generously and anonymously donated.

“What was I supposed to do, throw it in the rubbish?”

“I have not gone out and sought funding from people, so this donation was gratefully accepted.

“I’m not out there hunting for donations.

“I run low-budget, grassroots campaigns and I wasn’t even going to do flyers at this election until this generous donation allowed me to do them.

“So I would say to the person, thank you, it was much appeciated.

“It wasn’t needed, but has been spent.”

Political expert Dr Richard Herr said that despite the $3000 sum representing a reasonable proportion of the $19,000 Upper House candidate campaign spending cap stipulated in the state’s Electoral Disclosure and Funding Act, Mr Mulder had displayed transparency and integrity in declaring the donation, and using it for its apparent intended purpose.

Dr Richard Herr.

Dr Herr also said that in terms of an ongoing public campaign for real-time donation disclosure in Tasmania, Mr Mulder’s immediate declaration was “a pretty damn good step in the right direction”.

“It looks like the anonymity of the donor in this case certainly protects Tony, as well as the absence of any direction about a specific outcome,” Dr Herr said.

“It’s difficult to fault anybody here, because the donor clearly didn’t want to be seen as having created a debt of gratitude from Tony, which he can’t have if he doesn’t know who to give the debt of gratitude to.

“I’m sure the donation makes life easier for him, because he won’t have to scratch quite as hard to raise the rest of the money to meet his spending cap.

“And candidates certainly try to use as much of their resources within that cap for their campaign activities.”

Originally published as Pembroke candidate Tony Mulder praises mystery donor who left $3000 cash in envelope