Trvalý odkaz Pridané používateľom Anonymný (bez overenia) dňa So, 11/30/2024 - 07:41
Do Greens and crossbenchers who claim that transparency <br>
<br>
and integrity is at the heart of their reason for <br>
<br>
entering Parliament in the first place hear themselves?<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
In the past few days they have mounted self-serving arguments <br>
<br>
against proposed electoral reforms that the major parties <br>
<br>
look set to come together to support.<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
The reforms include caps for how much money wealthy individuals can donate, <br>
<br>
caps on the amount candidates can spend in individual electorates to <br>
<br>
prevent the equivalent of an arms race, and a $90million limit on what any party <br>
<br>
can spend at an election - actually less than the major <br>
<br>
parties currently spend.<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
The proposed new laws also include lower disclosure thresholds for donations, thus increasing the transparency of who makes political donations <br>
<br>
in the first place.<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
So the wealthy wont be able to hide behind anonymity while using their cash to influence election outcomes - <br>
<br>
and the extent to which they can use their wealth at all will be limited.<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
The bill will further improve transparency by also increasing <br>
<br>
the speed and frequency that disclosures of donations need to be made.<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
At present we have the absurd situation in which donations get made <br>
<br>
- but you only find out the details of who has given what to <br>
<br>
whom many months later, well after elections are won and <br>
<br>
lost.<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
In other words, what is broadly being proposed will result in much greater transparency <br>
<br>
and far less big money being injected into campaigning by the wealthy.<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
Teal Kylea Tink claimed the major parties were 'running scared' with the policy and warned the reform would 'not stop the rot' <br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
Greens senate leader Larissa Waters (left) fired a warning <br>
<br>
shot - saying if it serves only the major parties 'it's a <br>
<br>
rort, not reform'. Teal independent ACT senator David Pocock (right) said: 'What seems to be happening is <br>
<br>
a major-party stitch-up'<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
Anyone donating more than $1,000 to a political party,<br>
<br>
as opposed to $16,000 under the current rules, will <br>
<br>
need to disclose having done so. And how much they can donate will <br>
<br>
be capped.<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
Yet the Greens and Teals have quickly condemned the proposed new laws, labeling them a 'stitch-up',<br>
<br>
'outrageous' and 'a rort, not a reform'. <br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
They have lost their collective minds after finding out that Labor's proposal just might secure the support of the opposition.<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
I had to double check who was criticising what exactly before even starting to write this column.<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
Because I had assumed - incorrectly - that these important transparency measures stamping out the influence of <br>
<br>
the wealthy must have been proposed by the virtue-signalling Greens or the corruption-fighting Teals, <br>
<br>
in a united crossbench effort to drag the major parties closer to accountability.<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
More fool me.<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
The bill, designed to clean up a rotten system, is being put forward by Labor and <br>
<br>
is opposed by a growing cabal of crossbenchers.<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
It makes you wonder what they have to hide. Put simply, the Greens and Teals doth protest too much on this issue.<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
Labor is thought to be trying to muscle out major <br>
<br>
political donors such as Clive Palmer<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
Another potential target of the laws is businessman and Teal funder Simon Holmes à Court<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
The Greens have taken massive donations in the past, contrary to their <br>
<br>
irregular calls to tighten donations rules (Greens leader Adam Bandt and Senator Mehreen Faruqi <br>
<br>
are pictured)<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
The major parties have long complained about the influence the likes of Simon Holmes <br>
<br>
à Court wields behind the scenes amongst the Teals. <br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
And we know the Greens have taken massive donations from the wealthy in the past, contrary to their irregular calls to tighten donations rules.<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
Now that tangible change has been proposed, these bastions of virtue are <br>
<br>
running a mile from reforms that will curtail dark art of political donations.<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
The Labor government isn't even seeking for these transparency rules to <br>
<br>
take effect immediately, by the way. It won't be some <br>
<br>
sort of quick-paced power play before the next election designed to <br>
<br>
catch the crossbench out.<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
They are aiming for implementation by 2026, giving everyone enough time to <br>
<br>
absorb and understand the changes before preparing for them.<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
Don't get me wrong, no deal has yet been done between Labor <br>
<br>
and the Coalition. I imagine the opposition want to go over the laws with a fine <br>
<br>
tooth comb.<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
As they should - because it certainly isn't beyond Labor <br>
<br>
to include hidden one-party advantages in the proposed design which would create loopholes only the unions are capable of taking advantage of, therefore disadvantaging the Coalition electorally in the years to come.<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
But short of such baked-in trickiness scuttling a deal to get these <br>
<br>
proposed laws implemented, the crossbench should offer <br>
<br>
their support, not cynical opposition, to what is being advocated for.<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
They might even be able to offer something worthwhile that could be incorporated <br>
<br>
in the package.<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
To not do so exposes their utter hypocrisy and blowhard <br>
<br>
false commentary about being in politics to 'clean things <br>
<br>
up'.<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
Also visit my web-site ร้านดอกไม้บรรยากาศอบอุ่น - https://Ecommk.com/question/the-one-most-essential-factor-its-worthwhile-to-find-out-about-%e0%b8%a3%e0%b9%89%e0%b8%b2%e0%b8%99%e0%b8%94%e0%b8%ad%e0%b8%81%e0%b9%84%e0%b8%a1%e0%b9%89%e0%b8%a7%e0%b8%b4%e0%b8%99%e0%b9%80/
Do Greens and crossbenchers