Fury as Tassie’s biggest political donors revealed

The state’s political donation laws have been labelled a “joke” and likened to “wads of cash in a brown paper bag” as the AEC releases the latest round of major donations to Tasmanian political parties. MAJOR DONORS REVEALED >>

PHARMACEUTICAL companies and the hotels, alcohol and gaming lobby were some of Tasmania’s biggest political donors last year, new figures show.

But most donations will remain secret as political parties were only required to disclose donations of $14,000 or above in 2019-20 under current federal laws.

The Tasmanian Liberals received $1.93 million worth of donations in 2019-20, but declared the origins of just $154,959 in its disclosure to the Australian Electoral Commission.

Tasmanian Labor received $873,161 in donations but disclosed the origins of $51,339 in its report to the AEC.

Tasmanian Premier Peter Gutwein said political donation reform feature in his party’s 2020 agenda. Picture: Chris Kidd

The source of the vast bulk of donations to Tasmanian political parties remains secret because of the state’s weak electoral rules, although Premier Peter Gutwein has promised reform this year.

Some companies and organisations disclosed donations below the reporting threshold.

An analysis of those reports reveals the Tasmanian Liberals received $13,800 from the national Australian Hotels Association and $11,000 from the Registered Clubs Association of NSW.

The groups lobby for the hotels and clubs sector on issues including alcohol, gambling and taxation.

The Liberal party also received $16,500 from the powerful Pharmacy Guild of Australia,

$25,000 from Australian Pathology, $11,455 from pharmaceutical and crop science company Bayer Australia, and $10,890 from medicines giant Pfizer, which made one of the COVID-19 vaccines.

The party also received $13,200 from pharma company Bristol Myers Squibb, $9600 from Medtronic Australasia and $9900 from medical centre management company Idameneo.

Nexus APAC, a government relations and communications strategy group, gave multiple donations worth $1000 to the Liberal Party.

The Financial Services Council, which represents superannuation funds and other financial services, gave the party $16,500.

Former Attorney-General Vanessa Goodwin, who died from brain cancer in 2018, left a $60,959 to the party from her estate in 2019-20.

Tasmanian Labor declared a $34,619 donation from the Health & Community Services Union and $16,720 from the Shop Distributive & Allied Employees Association.

Labor-aligned lobbyist company Hawker Britton also donated $4545 to the party’s state branch.

Greens MP Rosalie Woodruff.

Greens justice spokeswoman Rosalie Woodruff said the current regimen was not transparent.

“This year the Liberals kept the source of $1.7 million dollars of their revenue secret – a whopping 92 per cent,” she said.

“Instead of strengthening Tasmania’s democracy, they have hidden the source of more donations than ever.

“Despite Labor’s calls for reform, their practices are in lock step with the Liberals – this year they only disclosed the source of a pitiful six per cent of their donations. If Labor really are serious about this issue, they must start putting their money where their mouth is.”

Senator Jacqui Lambie. (Photo by Sam Mooy/Getty Images)

Independent senator Jacqui Lambie said Australia’s current donations system was a “joke”.

“Whoever it is, lobbyists, banks, companies, sitting down with our leaders – they’re trading money for influence, and we should be know about it,” she said.

“Anything over $2500 should have to be disclosed.”

And independent MP Andrew Wilkie said: “This dark money is a cancer on democracy. Frankly it’s no better than wads of cash in a brown paper bag.”

Clive Palmer was the country’s biggest political donor, giving $5.8 million to his United Australia Party.

Billionaire packaging magnate Anthony Pratt gave $1.3 million to the Liberal Party and $250,000 to the National Party.

Banks, mining companies, unions, and powerful industry groups like the Minerals Council of Australia and Masters Builders Australia were other major donors nationally.

Lobbyist groups Barton Deakin and PremierNational also donated to political parties, along with Telstra, Woolworths and tobacco company Philip Morris Limited.

The Centre for Public Integrity criticised the system’s lack of transparency and called for caps on political donations.

“The federal disclosure scheme is misnamed – it is a nondisclosure scheme with more than a third of political funding shrouded in secrecy,” Director Joo Cheong Tham said.