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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1996 Week 12 Hansard (21 November) . . Page.. 4036 ..

MR MOORE: I am appalled at Mr Berry's ignorance, Mr Speaker. I very carefully drew attention to this.

There was one other point that I would make, which is why I sought leave to speak again rather than make a personal explanation. The other point I would like to make, Mr Speaker, does relate to the notion that people are actually being paid off. I think most of us would accept - and I accept it - because we deal with all these members on an almost daily basis, that we do not have a situation where members are paid off. I have never accused members of that; I have never believed that members fit into that category. However, what I do believe is that, where large donations are made to a party or to a member, that has an influence on their way of thinking. It makes it much harder to work against somebody who has made a major contribution to a party and it is difficult to make a judgment about where that style of contribution is.

When one looks through these returns one sees a donation of $2,500 to both the Labor Party and the Liberal Party by the Master Builders Association. Today we saw a situation in the case of the long service leave Bill where, in spite of that $2,500 donation, the Labor Party took a stance which was clearly opposed to what most of us would see as being in the interests of the Master Builders Association. It is a difficult question as to where that line is drawn and what the influence is. But one also has to ask: Why would an association like the Master Builders Association donate $2,500 to both major parties if they were not seeking, if you like, some goodwill? What we are talking about is the goodwill. What possible reason would they have for doing that?

Mr Whitecross: Because they are hoping we will win your seat and you will not.

MR MOORE: Indeed, Mr Whitecross; I accept that; there is, after all, a reason. But it does illustrate the point that it is a very different situation from somebody who makes a donation to a particular party because they think society would be better off if that party were in power. We see it federally where major corporations make donations of very large sums of money to both major parties. If that is not about goodwill, then what is it about? There is a most important question about this still outstanding in my mind, and the question is: Why would we open up a loophole when no loophole exists?

Clause agreed to.

Clause 20

MR MOORE (9.32): I move:

Page 7, lines 9 to 12, paragraph (b), omit the paragraph, substitute the following paragraph:

"(b) by inserting after paragraph (4)(e) the following paragraph:

`(ea) producing and distributing electoral matter that is addressed to particular persons or organisations;'.".

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