Page 2414 - Week 06 - Thursday, 10 May 2012

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affiliation fee means. It is an amount that an organisation pays to a political party to become associated with it and to become involved and participate in the affairs of the party. The disaffiliation fee has implications for them.

As we get to the bill proper—this is in the definitions part—there are issues that relate to affiliation fees and whether or not they are gifts within the meaning of the act. The Canberra Liberals take the view that affiliation fees, or a substantial part of affiliation fees, should be considered a gift. There is no problem with giving gifts. It is just that they have to be recorded and reported upon. If this legislation is successful they would be limited to $10,000 in any one calendar year.

MR CORBELL (Molonglo—Attorney-General, Minister for Police and Emergency Services and Minister for the Environment and Sustainable Development) (7.12): The government opposes this amendment from Mrs Dunne. The reason for that is that this amendment inserts a new clause 7A into the bill to provide a new definition of affiliation fee. Basically, what this means is that there will be a requirement that for people and organisations that pay an affiliation fee it will be considered a gift. Affiliation is not a gift. Affiliation is in relation to a relationship—for example, between a trade union and the Australian Labor Party. The government does not see why this provision should be included in the legislation.

MS HUNTER (Ginninderra—Parliamentary Leader, ACT Greens) (7.12): The Greens will be opposing this amendment. As has been explained, this is in the definition, so the definition would be seeing an affiliation fee considered a gift. We do not agree with that. This will be part of the debate later in the piece. It is the start of bringing the unions into the expenditure cap of the Labor Party. We will also be opposing Mrs Dunne’s amendment No 3 for the same reason.

Question put:

That proposed new clause 7A be agreed to.

The Assembly voted—

Question so resolved in the negative.

Proposed new clause 7A negatived.

Proposed new clause 7B.

MRS DUNNE (Ginninderra) (7.16): I move amendment No 3 circulated in my name to insert a new clause 7B [see schedule 5 at page 2473].

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