Electoral Funding, Donations & Disclosure Policy

Principles

    The Greens NSW believe:

1. The electoral system must be adequately funded by government;
2. Government policies, election outcomes and political decision making must be, and must seen to be, independent of donations or favours from the private and non-government sectors;
3. The separation of government and the private sector should include restrictions on retiring MPs in their work in the private sector;
4. All citizens should have equal access to and influence on political decision-making, government policy or election outcomes; and
5. Transparency in funding and lobbying activities is essential to a healthy democracy.
   
   

   Framework

   The Greens NSW will work to:

6. Make the electoral system fairer and more transparent;
7. Prevent corporations and other vested interests from disproportionately influencing government policy decisions and election outcomes; and
8. Limit conflicts of interest arising from political donations and from Members of Parliament taking up employment in areas related to ministerial portfolios.
   

   
   

   Detail

   The Greens NSW will:

9. Campaign for adequate, fair and transparent funding of elections;
10. Implement a system where all donations to, and electoral expenditure by political parties, candidates or elected representative be promptly disclosed on a public website maintained by the electoral office;
11. Prohibit donations to political parties, candidates, associated entitites or elected representatives that are from corporations;
12. Allow political donations only from individuals who are citizens or permanent residents of Australia and from bequests;

13. Cap donations from an individual to a candidate, associated entity or all branches of the same political party at $10,000 per individual per annum unless the individual is a member of the political party.

14. Allow uncapped bequests;
15. Maintain public funding for state election campaigns;
16. Prohibit payment of electoral expenses or electoral advertising by entities other than identified, registered political parties or candidates;
17. Treat as a pecuniary interest, subject to a conflict of interest test, all donations to political parties, candidates or elected representatives;
18. Introduce legislation which prevents, for a period of 2 years, retiring MPs from entering employment, consulting or otherwise assisting for benefit, any industry or organisation in the private or non-government sector which could be seen to be obtaining unfair advantage from such an arrangement with an ex MP;
19. Establish a compulsory code of conduct for MP's and Ministers addressing these issues, to be administered by the State Electoral Office; and
20. Review the operations of the NSW Electoral Commission and establish an enhanced audit function to monitor compliance, and increase funding for this purpose.

Follow this link for The Greens NSW Electoral Funding, Donations & Disclosure Policy Summary.