Mystery surrounds bulk of political funding

Tasmania’s laws governing electoral funding are the weakest in the nation – and the latest set of figures doesn’t reveal much.

THE source of the vast bulk of donations to Tasmanian political parties remains secret because of the state’s lax electoral laws.

The Australian Electoral Commission yesterday released the financial returns for political parties for the 2018-19 financial year, a period which included the last federal election.

Under Tasmanian law, parties are only required to disclose the source of donations of more than $13,800 and disclosures yesterday came up to 19 months after the donations were actually made.

In their annual returns, the Liberal Party disclosed the source of only 23 per cent of their income, Labor disclosed the source of 5 per cent and the Greens disclosed 35 per cent, although the Greens make additional voluntary disclosures via their website.

The Tasmanian branch of the Liberals received the largest amount – raking in more than $3.3 million during the 2018-19 financial year.

Rod Scurrah. Picture: CHRIS KIDD

It included a $207,349 donation from the estate of the late attorney-general Vanessa Goodwin. Liberal Party state president Rod Scurrah acknowledged Ms Goodwin’s dedication to the party.

“Her bequest has allowed the party to continue to fight for the causes that were close to her heart,” he said.

Other donors included Pathology Australia ($25,000), the Insurance Council of Australia ($30,000) and the Caravan Industry Association ($24,200).

“Given the disclosure period covered the 2019 Federal Election, the contribution of the Liberal Party’s Federal Secretariat to the 2019 campaign in Tasmania was also disclosed,” Mr Scurrah said.

“An amount of $24,865 from Neil Buckby Motors … was not a donation.

“It was cash received following the sale of two second-hand campaign vans.”

The other significant donation received was from a generous supporter concerned about the prospect of a Shorten Labor Government, through their private company, Sugolena Pty Ltd.

Sugolena is a private company linked to reclusive Sydney property tycoon and philanthropist Isaac Wakil.

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The source of the remaining $2.6 million donated to the Liberals was not revealed.

The Tasmanian Branch of the Australian Labor Party received $1.2 million for the year.

The only three amounts over the threshold which were disclosed were $33,515 from the Health and Community Services Union, $22,000 from the Australian Electoral Commission and $33,515 from the Shop Distributive and Allied Employees Association. The remaining $1.14 million came from undisclosed sources.

And the Tasmanian Greens received a total of $585,485 during the 2018-19 financial year, including $30,000 from Wotif founder Graeme Wood.

Queensland, South Australia and the ACT require political parties to declare donations within one week, and NSW and Victoria within 21 days.

For all states bar South Australia, the threshold for declarations is $1000.

The Tasmanian Government has promised donation law reforms.

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