Excellent summary on the detrimental impact of political donations on our democracy.
The United Macedonian Diaspora (Australia) will be writing to the Australian Electoral Commission to request a report on political donations to Labor and the Liberals from 1994 to date in order to determine who has donated how much in order to maintain the current bipartisan policy of segregation, institutional discrimination and delegitimisation of the Republic of Macedonia and its diaspora. The major political parties are not interested in reform because they are direct and indirect beneficiaries of money and services provided to them by foreign governments, lobbyists, high net worth individuals and others who seek to distort our democracy and undermine our national interests.

Indeed! And what democracy? The very best money can buy!? And inside the rules and on the pecuniary register, where it hides in plain sight!

That said, democracy is turned on its head and reduced to risible rubbish, when an elected leader calls the shots or is controlled by a faction or dirty deals done in the dead of night, via preference swaps, which make the expressed will of the electorate into absolute nonsense! And where the elected candidate against the expressed will of say 85% of the electorate who ostensibly gave their first preference to someone else or anybody else!

It's not political donations distorting democracy! Just the current entirely obnoxious rules!

Democracy would be better served by a first past the post system or proportional representation coupled to optional preferencing! And where anyone who wanted to, could nominate rather than being dependant on this or that political organisation for a purse strings controlled right to run!?

And far better facilitated by public/crowd funding and a publically funded forum?

Like say Aunty, where they could access several, broadcast to the world, Q+A style town hall debates. Where say soundproof boxes could be used to ration generous equal time and prevent, (hopefully, occasionally) please don't speak vile I'm interrupting outcomes!

And even further advanced by every vote in either house being a secret ballot? Which could be achieved via a cowl covered electronic voting station that simply could be monitored by any other member; and where the pressing of a green or red button would confer a yes or nay vote that could be counted and displayed immediately on a very large monitor, as an up or down vote!?

This would mean far less time wasting, fully informed advocacy and persuasive compelling oratory alone could sway voting intentions, rather than bullies with bulging pockets or factions with a fraction too much friction!

WE THE PEOPLE SHOULD DECIDE WHO GETS ELECTED AND THE MANNER OF THEIR REPRESENTATION!
Alan B.

Afterthought: Any electronic voting system as envisaged would need to be completely self contained and peculiar to the parliament where it was used exclusively by members, ( perhaps from the floor or their office) with access keys attached to their person with a chain! Or protected with biometrics, like say a fingerprint scan to gain access each and every time?
Alan B.