Page 645 - Week 02 - Thursday, 19 February 2015
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Amendment negatived.
Clause 14 agreed to.
Clause 15 agreed to.
Proposed new clause 15A.
MR RATTENBURY (Molonglo) (5.01): I move amendment No 7 circulated in my name, which inserts a new clause 15A [see schedule 1 at page 665].
This amendment seeks to include a new party cap of $500,000 and therefore limit party expenditure for parties running campaigns with more than 13 candidates to $500,000 as being a sufficient amount to run an effective and visible campaign without restricting political expression. Reducing campaign expenditure is an important way to ensure a more level playing field in election campaigning and also reduces the pull on the public purse for funds.
In the proposed 25-member Assembly, the committee has recommended that the expenditure cap for candidates be reduced to $40,000 per candidate, delivering a party expenditure cap of $1 million for parties that run 25 candidates. Large parties are therefore offered a significant advantage in their spending as they are able to pool multiple candidate allocations of $40,000 and reap an efficiency benefit. They are already entrenched in the political system. They will continue to be able to outspend smaller parties and dominate the election landscape. Smaller parties and independents that do not have the advantage of pooling resources will be significantly disadvantaged.
I note Mr Corbell earlier made reference to wealthy individuals who may seek to use their considerable personal wealth to run a particular campaign. This would apply to them, whether that be certain Queensland mining magnates or people who have set up websites to offer hotel accommodation. This levels out the playing field and puts a limit on these things. For all the smug comments that come across the chamber, again there is a lack of conviction in actually doing anything about it. But we have seen that several times today, and it is a theme that is clearly developing in this place.
Election campaigns in the ACT can effectively run with smaller budgets. The Hare-Clark system is all about that; it is all about candidates getting out and meeting people in their communities. Particularly with the move to smaller electorates there is scope for us to meet proportionately more of our electors than we have in the past. That further justifies this sort of initiative, and I commend this amendment to the Assembly as a way of limiting the arms race, levelling the playing field and giving those who are not entrenched in the political system an equal or at least fairer chance.
MR CORBELL (Molonglo—Deputy Chief Minister, Attorney-General, Minister for Health, Minister for the Environment and Minister for Capital Metro) (5.04): It always astounds me that the Greens profess commitment to transparency and then willingly accept a $1.6 million donation. It is “say one thing and do another”. Quite extraordinary.
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