“Queensland needs a royal commission to probe the depth of the relationship between government and business…”

Agreed Scott.

But is Queensland really worse than any other state?

One thing that absolutely needs to happen is for the political donations regime to be overhauled, with a complete abolition of donations from corporations, unions and organisations, as per the Canadian model. http://canadaonline.about.com/od/federalelections/a/contributions.htm

See my general thread on this subject: http://forum.onlineopinion.com.au/thread.asp?discussion=2945

Absolutely ludwig, the other states and federally simply go about it in a more subtle, less obvious way with an occasional inquiry and a repackaging of the rhetoric.

But back to QLD a former minister goes from cabinet to a property developer then to north QLD cyclone rebuilding and nobody says anything because the whole exercise is covered up with the persona of a national hero. Labour in QLD is simply better at spin doctoring so it does not look like what it is.

Some fitzgerald era criminal enterprises never closed down for a minute, before, during or after the inquiry when labour were in charge. Some of the individuals continued a close association with police, politicians, branch stacking and supposedly charitable organisations.

Before that of course everybody forgets that before JOH, the coalition came to power after the former state labour govt was embroiled in the national hotel royal commission which found corruption far worse. The then police commissioner owned this pub which never closed, included gambling, prostitution and many murders. The father of an old friend of mine at the time was cooking up moonshine rum (or sly grog, far suck of the sauce bottle Kev) which was delivered to hotels all over southern Brisbane from Kangaroo point to Beenleigh by plain clothed CIB detectives in unmarked police cars.

PS, he was also a property developer through the 30's, 40's, 50's, 60's and 70's, guess not much has changed in 60 years.

Ludwig, please.

>>One thing that absolutely needs to happen is for the political donations regime to be overhauled, with a complete abolition of donations from corporations, unions and organisations<<

As my dear old granny used to say, "to a hammer, everything looks like a nail."

And yes, we know that your current hobby-horse is the abolition of political donations, you have made that abundantly clear.

But as I have stated elsewhere, allowing political parties access to taxpayers' money is not an answer. It simply allows them to pay more hangers-on.

You will note that in the article, Scott Prasser points out that...

"Donations to party funds, loans to ministers, appointment of ex-politicians to company boards and even joining the Nationals to show support were what smart business leaders did to conduct business in Queensland. Interests between government, party, individual entrepreneurs and even some public servants were seen as mutual, reciprocal and reinforcing. The result was a network of contacts supported by favours and overlapping roles."

Donations to party funds is only one of a list of means by which corruption may flourish. Cutting off that line of "legitimate" delivery will not discourage malpractice - in fact, the need to publish the list and amount of donation can actually be a deterrent to exploitation, merely because it is out in the open.

And how does having governments in charge of the rules that determine the funding of political parties reduce the opportunities for manipulation?

You'd simply be making it legal.

Instead, why not clarify the rules, eliminate the loopholes, crank up the penalties for criminal corruption, and ensure both sides of the transaction are locked up for a substantial period.

Scott says "Queensland needs a royal commission to probe the depth of the relationship between government and business, and the effects of gambling, clubs and property development"

Scott, who sets the terms of reference ?

“Ludwig, please”

What’s the problem Pericles?

“And yes, we know that your current hobby-horse is the abolition of political donations…”

To which you have responded well, on the two relevant threads that I have started recently;

Gordon Nuttall guilty of corruption. Political parties innocent!
http://forum.onlineopinion.com.au/thread.asp?discussion=2925 and

Political donations – corruption of enormous proportions!
http://forum.onlineopinion.com.au/thread.asp?discussion=2945

The discussion with you is much appreciated. So why the air of frustration? It is a subject most worthy of discussion, is it not?

“Donations to party funds is only one of a list of means by which corruption may flourish”

Of course! Following the Canadian model of abolishing group donations and restricting donations from individuals to very small amounts would only go so far towards addressing governments’ disgusting bias towards big business. But it would be a big first step.

I reckon we definitely need a royal commission to sort out what else can be done about all the other cosy arrangements.

I am also mindful of the possibility that the Canadian model might actually be seen to be a big improvement while the influence of big business on governments continues essentially undiminished, in a much more surreptitious manner.

“And how does having governments in charge of the rules that determine the funding of political parties reduce the opportunities for manipulation?”

Obviously, governments being in charge of the rules is a very large part of the problem.

“Instead, why not clarify the rules, eliminate the loopholes, crank up the penalties for criminal corruption….”

I take it you mean instead of abolishing political donations, or something very close to it as per the Canadian model.

So you’d be happy for large corporate donations to continue, to the tune of many millions of dollars per annum, just as long as the rules were made clearer.

Well, we’ll have to vehemently disagree on that.

WTF?

In the Joh era it was the denial
that got up people’s noses.

Everyone knew what was going on
but no one in the government’s ranks
would say a thing about it.

The story goes that at a National Party
get-together in the Valley Joh asked
Russ Hinze if there was any illegal
gambling or prostitution in QLD.
Hinze assured him there was not.

It’s a wonder with the denial from
the current government that anyone
could vote Labor again.