Like what you've read?

On Line Opinion is the only Australian site where you get all sides of the story. We don't
charge, but we need your support. Here�s how you can help.

  • Advertise

    We have a monthly audience of 70,000 and advertising packages from $200 a month.

  • Volunteer

    We always need commissioning editors and sub-editors.

  • Contribute

    Got something to say? Submit an essay.


 The National Forum   Donate   Your Account   On Line Opinion   Forum   Blogs   Polling   About   
On Line Opinion logo ON LINE OPINION - Australia's e-journal of social and political debate

Subscribe!
Subscribe





On Line Opinion is a not-for-profit publication and relies on the generosity of its sponsors, editors and contributors. If you would like to help, contact us.
___________

Syndicate
RSS/XML


RSS 2.0

Spending cap leaves Labor sitting pretty

By Graham Young - posted Thursday, 7 November 2019


In Queensland the words "fairer" and "more transparent" come with qualifiers – "to me" and "to no one". That's obvious again from the changes to the electoral funding laws announced by Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and Justice Minister Yvette D'Ath.

The amount that political parties spend will be capped, as will be the amounts individuals can donate. At the same time public funding will be doubled.

Sounds fair enough until you work out who benefits.

Advertisement

Instead of "tak[ing] money out of politics" it just changes the mix and moves more of the chips to Labor's side of the table.

When caps on political spending are in place – parties work out how to get around them. One strategy is to find allegedly independent front groups and politics gets dirtier and murkier.

We've been here before.

The 2014 Redcliffe by-election was held under similar legislation. The ALP and the LNP spent exactly the same amount, which sounds fair, except that added to the ALP side of the campaign were another six unions and other organisations that all spent the same amount as the ALP.

Under this "fair" system, the LNP was outspent 7 to 1.

Labor's counting on this happening again, and in the same proportions. Under the bill you can donate to a political party, as well as up-to 6 "third parties".

Advertisement

Analysis of the last 12 months of funding disclosures show that they've raised only 60% of what the LNP has – that's $3.2 m to $5.6.

This table lists the amounts raised by each party, and the size of the average donation made per donor in the 12 months between October 2018 and October 2019.

  1. Pages:
  2. Page 1
  3. 2
  4. 3
  5. All

This article was first published in an edited form in The Courier Mail.



Discuss in our Forums

See what other readers are saying about this article!

Click here to read & post comments.

4 posts so far.

Share this:
reddit this reddit thisbookmark with del.icio.us Del.icio.usdigg thisseed newsvineSeed NewsvineStumbleUpon StumbleUponsubmit to propellerkwoff it

About the Author

Graham Young is chief editor and the publisher of On Line Opinion. He is executive director of the Australian Institute for Progress, an Australian think tank based in Brisbane, and the publisher of On Line Opinion.

Other articles by this Author

All articles by Graham Young

Creative Commons LicenseThis work is licensed under a Creative Commons License.

Photo of Graham Young
Article Tools
Comment 4 comments
Print Printable version
Subscribe Subscribe
Email Email a friend
Advertisement

About Us Search Discuss Feedback Legals Privacy