Trvalý odkaz Pridané používateľom Anonymný (bez overenia) dňa So, 11/30/2024 - 22:43
Do Greens and crossbenchers who claim that transparency and integrity is at the <br>
<br>
heart of their reason for 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 against proposed electoral <br>
<br>
reforms that the major parties look set to come together to support.<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<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 prevent the <br>
<br>
equivalent of an arms race, and a $90million limit on what any party can spend at an election - actually <br>
<br>
less than the major 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 in the first place.<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
So the wealthy wont be able to hide behind anonymity while using their cash to influence election outcomes - and the <br>
<br>
extent to which they can use their wealth at <br>
<br>
all will be limited.<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
The bill will further improve transparency by also increasing the <br>
<br>
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 - 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 lost.<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
In other words, what is broadly being proposed will result in much greater transparency 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' <br>
<br>
with the policy and warned the reform would 'not stop the <br>
<br>
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 shot - <br>
<br>
saying if it serves only the major parties 'it's a rort, not reform'. Teal independent ACT senator David Pocock <br>
<br>
(right) said: 'What seems to be happening is a major-party stitch-up'<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
Anyone donating more than $1,000 to a political party, as opposed to $16,000 under the current <br>
<br>
rules, will need to disclose having done so. And how much they can donate will be <br>
<br>
capped.<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
Yet the Greens and Teals have quickly condemned the <br>
<br>
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 <br>
<br>
Labor's proposal just might secure the support of the opposition.<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<u><i>I had to double check who was criticising what exactly before even starting to write this column.</i></u><br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
Because I had assumed - incorrectly - that these important transparency measures <br>
<br>
stamping out the influence of the wealthy must have been proposed <br>
<br>
by the virtue-signalling Greens or the corruption-fighting Teals, in a <br>
<br>
united crossbench effort to drag the major parties closer to accountability.<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<strong><u>More fool me.</u></strong><br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
The bill, designed to clean up a rotten system, is being put forward <br>
<br>
by Labor and is opposed by a growing cabal of crossbenchers.<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
It makes you wonder what they have to hide.<br>
<br>
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>
<br>
<br>
<u>Labor is thought to be trying to muscle out major political donors such as Clive Palmer</u><br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<u>Another potential target of the laws is businessman and Teal funder Simon Holmes à Court</u><br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
The Greens have taken massive donations in the past, contrary to their irregular calls to <br>
<br>
tighten donations rules (Greens leader Adam Bandt and Senator Mehreen Faruqi 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 <br>
<br>
Teals. <br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
And we know the Greens have taken massive donations from the <br>
<br>
wealthy in the past, contrary to their irregular calls <br>
<br>
to tighten donations rules.<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
Now that tangible change has been proposed, <br>
<br>
these bastions of virtue are 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 <br>
<br>
rules to take effect immediately, by the way.<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
It won't be some sort of quick-paced power play before <br>
<br>
the next election designed to catch the crossbench out.<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
They are aiming for implementation by 2026, giving everyone enough <br>
<br>
time to absorb and understand the changes before preparing for them.<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
Don't get me wrong, no deal has yet been done <br>
<br>
between Labor and the Coalition. I imagine the opposition want <br>
<br>
to go over the laws with a fine tooth comb.<br>
<br>
<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 <br>
<br>
create loopholes only the unions are capable <br>
<br>
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 proposed laws implemented, <br>
<br>
the crossbench should offer their support, not cynical opposition, to what is being advocated for.<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<u><i>They might even be able to offer something worthwhile that could be incorporated in the package.</i></u><br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
To not do so exposes their utter hypocrisy and blowhard false commentary about being in politics to 'clean things up'.<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
my website: <a href="https://Oliviath.com/uncategorized/%E0%B8%94%E0%B8%AD%E0%B8%81%E0%B9%84%E0%B8%A1%E0%B9%89%E0%B9%84%E0%B8%A7%E0%B9%89%E0%B8%AD%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%A5%E0%B8%B1%E0%B8%A2-%E0%B8%A8%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%AA%E0%B8%99%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%84%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%B4/">ดอกไม้ไว้อาลัย ศาสนาคริสต์</a>
Do Greens and crossbenchers