Banning donations from 'bad people'

By contrast, we cannot opt out of paying taxes. That makes giving taxpayer funds to political parties much more of a concern.  

The Liberal Democrats benefited from the current policy at the last federal election, qualifying for $1 million of taxpayers’ money. But this is small change compared to the major parties, which received a total of $58 million from taxpayers. Most of this was used to pay for those annoying television and radio ads and leaflets in our letterboxes. Knowing we all paid for such drivel doubles the annoyance.

Wouldn’t it be better if individuals, corporations and unions voluntarily paid for that electioneering with their own money? And for it to be all in the open, where it can be scrutinised?

In seeking to ban donations from those they consider bad people, the Greens make two grave mistakes. They fail to appreciate that plenty of folks consider Greens donors to be equally bad; and, in an endless cycle of tit-for-tat banning, they will leave taxpayers footing the bill.

David Leyonhjelm is Liberal Democrats Senator for NSW