Page 2993 - Week 07 - Thursday, 30 June 2011
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MRS DUNNE: Yes, I am aware of that. I thank Ms Le Couteur for the reminder, but, as I was saying—
Opposition members interjecting—
MR SPEAKER: Order!
MRS DUNNE: The tenor of the inquiry can be summed up in some way by the quote from President McKinley’s campaign manager when he said:
There are two things that are important in politics. The first is money and I can’t remember the second.
This is the tenor of many of the submissions that we have received. We have received submissions in relation to the conflict of interest that some organisations have in relation to from where they receive money, and these matters will be considered appropriately in the inquiry.
MR SMYTH: A supplementary, Mr Speaker.
MR SPEAKER: Yes, Mr Smyth.
MR SMYTH: Thank you, Mr Speaker. Mrs Dunne, has the committee received any evidence on caps on campaign finance and what has that evidence said?
MRS DUNNE: Thank you, Mr Smyth, for the question. We have received a range of advice in relation to caps on campaign finance reform. I am sure all members are aware that there is legislation that has already passed in New South Wales and Queensland. There is also legislation in Canada which has received a great deal of support. There is some discussion about the constitutionality of that, and Mr Hargreaves touched on that yesterday in relation to the scrutiny report. In the United States, the free speech provisions in the constitution are quite different from those in Australia, and I think there is a general view that we cannot draw exact parallels to the capping laws in the United States. We could perhaps learn much more from other commonwealth jurisdictions like New South Wales, Queensland and Canada, where there are caps in place.
Mr Coe interjecting—
MR SPEAKER: Order! Mr Coe, you are getting very close.
Mental health facility
MR HANSON: My question is to the Minister for Health. In your statement of government priorities for 2011-12 you stated:
… these priorities will be progressed within the continuing work of Government—that is, they further our election promises.
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