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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2004 Week 05 Hansard (Friday, 14 May 2004) . . Page.. 2083 ..

Clauses 28 to 33, as amended, agreed to.

Clause 34.

MS TUCKER (12.19 am): I move amendment No 1 circulated in my name [see schedule 6 at page 2135]. This amendment keeps the disclosure threshold for individual candidates at $200 and the government’s bill increases it to $1,500.

MS DUNDAS (12.19 am): This amendment is consequential on the changes proposed by Ms Tucker’s bill. This particular amendment goes to the issue of disclosure of a gift and Ms Tucker’s amendment is to leave the threshold of the disclosure of gifts at $200. The Democrats generally agree with greater disclosure provisions and are supportive of this amendment.

MRS CROSS (12.19 am): I will also be supporting Ms Tucker’s amendment. This still independent member thinks that greater disclosure is important and commends Ms Tucker for this amendment.

MR STANHOPE (Chief Minister, Attorney-General, Minister for Environment and Minister for Community Affairs) (12.20 am): This amendment would keep the current disclosure threshold for disclosure of gifts received by candidates at $200. The bill increases this and all other disclosure thresholds to $1,500. The changes to the disclosure thresholds in this bill to standardise all thresholds at $1,500 are intended to remove a number of inconsistencies and inequities in the current disclosure scheme, ensuring that different types of political entities will be treated in the same way. For example, under the current scheme, the identity of donors giving $200 or more to candidates must be disclosed, whereas the threshold for identifying donors to parties is $1,500. As party candidates can direct all of their donations through their party, this means that the effective disclosure thresholds for donations to party candidates is $1,500, compared to a $200 threshold for donations to non-party candidates.

If this amendment succeeds it will mean that non-party candidates will continue to be disadvantaged. They will be subject to a $200 disclosure threshold, whereas party candidates will effectively have a $1,500 threshold. This would continue this unfair feature of the current disclosure scheme. I point out that this different disclosure threshold has caused considerable confusion to donors and party candidates in the past and it has not been clear which thresholds should apply. For these reasons the government will not support these amendments.

MR STEFANIAK (12.21 am): I must say on this one that I agree with my learned friend Mr Stanhope.

Amendment negatived.

Clause 34 agreed to.

Clause 35.

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