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The Forum > Article Comments > Don't ban donations, ban donations from crooks > Comments

Don't ban donations, ban donations from crooks : Comments

By Graham Young, published 24/5/2018

While there is a suspicion that some property development donations are corrupt (73 per cent), the suspicion is even higher for gaming (76 per cent) and still very high for unions (63 per cent), alcohol (60 per cent) and lawyers (51 per cent).

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Many people are concerned about big business wielding
power and influence over the Liberal and Labor parties.
They question whether Australia is a democracy or
a country governed by and for wealthy people and
corporations.

We do need a reform of political donations and we need
to put in place a National Independent Commission against
Corruption.

Membership of Australian political parties has declined over
the years so they're now less able to raise money from
Membership fees. Parties do receive some public funding
but not enough to pay for expensive election campaigns.
This has led to parties being reliant on political
donations.

If we ban donations from individuals and corporations funding
for political campaigns must come from elsewhere. Public
funding of elections will need to increase - meaning taxpayers
will bear a bigger burden in future elections.

My suggestion would be to place caps on donations. This would
level the playing field and reduce the influence of rich
donors.
Posted by Foxy, Friday, 25 May 2018 10:24:05 AM
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Interesting knee jerk reactions about corporations. All a company, or an association, is, is a means by which people pool their collective efforts. If you banned donations by corporations, then the people behind them would just make the donation instead.

I think a few of you are confused too about what money from corporations buys you, and what the alternatives are. If someone like me volunteers my time to work for a political party doing strategy, media etc. then I would pretty soon be up around the tens of thousands of dollars, based on professional rates. I'm assuming you wouldn't have a problem with me doing that, because I'm an individual, and I vote.

But what if instead I work for myself, earn the same amount of money and pay it to someone else, to do the same work for the party? You'd characterise that as improper? But the end result is exactly the same.

Which would be one reason why the High Court recognises that bodies corporate have the right to donate money to parties. I find this sort of debate we are having here to be very anti-democratic.
Posted by GrahamY, Friday, 25 May 2018 2:11:09 PM
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Dear Graham,

Companies have privileges that ordinary people have not, such as paying less tax and limited responsibility for their actions. I would argue that their existence is unfair to begin with, but then the economists would panic, calling it an economic suicide.

In the least, with privileges may come restrictions - while it could be anti-economic, there is nothing morally wrong about it.

So by all means, let companies distribute their profits in wages and dividends, then let the individuals who received their money contribute as much as they like to political parties - after tax of course.
Posted by Yuyutsu, Friday, 25 May 2018 2:55:32 PM
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