Page 2817 - Week 10 - Wednesday, 14 August 1991
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I am advised that every one of these democracies, except Norway and the United States, and now Australia, allows free time for political parties. Every one of them, except New Zealand, Germany and the United States, bans paid political advertisements on television and radio. It is astounding to find that just after the turn of the century the US Congress made it illegal for any corporation to make a political contribution in connection with any election to any political office.
Mr Duby: When did they repeal that?
MR COLLAERY: I think Richard Nixon effectively repealed that. The fact is that there are dangers. Laurie Oakes, who is a very informed commentator, is reported in the Bulletin of 2 April 1991 as saying:
Very real dangers are inherent in a situation which compels political parties to raise vast and ever-increasing sums of money to fight elections. Anyone who thinks otherwise should recall what happened in 1975 when the Labor Party was thrown suddenly into an election courtesy of the governor-general's dismissal of the Whitlam government. The war chests of the coalition parties were full but Labor's coffers were just about empty.
... ... ...
Facing a desperate situation, parliamentary leader Gough Whitlam and national secretary David Combe had an appalling lapse of judgment. They agreed to a suggestion from prominent Victorian left-winger Bill Hartley that Labor should seek funds overseas from Iraq. And, when an emissary told them Iraq's ruling Ba'ath Socialist Party was prepared to give half-a-million dollars, "or whatever you can spend", they accepted the offer. Labor's campaign budget was adjusted accordingly.
In the event, as we have learnt from Saddam Hussein, the goods were never delivered. But the fact remains that Laurie Oakes points up that at one end of the spectrum we do seriously need to get down to discussing the excesses of advertising and the dangers inherent in terms of potential corruption whereby the parties raise large sums.
I will just close my comments on the view from the smaller parties. In the last election campaign I clearly recall having to argue the toss with the ABC to get our share of free time, because their logic was that we were not an established party and therefore we had no right to free time. That, therefore, creates a self-perpetuating exclusion for those new groups who want to emerge in the community. I am very conscious of the fact that the coalition, led by Dr Hewson, if it gains control of both houses, will, as Laurie Oakes observes, possibly implement
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