Despite Matthew Guy’s efforts to put big corporations and developers ahead of hard-working Victorians, changes to enact Australia’s most open and transparent donations regime have cleared the Victorian Parliament.
The Electoral Legislation Amendment Bill 2018, which is now set to be law, will overhaul Victoria’s political donations regime by eliminating large donations and create our nation’s toughest and most transparent laws.
These changes will give Victorians increased confidence in political decision-making and stop the kind of dodgy behaviour that Matthew Guy fought to protect, whether it’s meetings with developers in penthouse apartments for cash or granting Liberal mates windfall cash bonuses after his overnight rezoning of Fishermans Bend.
The proposed legislation to clean up dodgy donations will:
- Cap donations at $4,000 over a four-year parliamentary term, completely eliminating large donations to political parties, associated entities, and third-party campaigners
- Reduce the disclosure limit from $13,500 to $1,000 per financial year
- Ban foreign donations
- Introduce tough penalties for failing to comply including up to 10 years imprisonment for breaches
- Real time donations to shine a light on who donates and when
Despite negotiating these reforms for months, Liberal Leader Matthew Guy walked away from them highlighting yet again that big corporations and developers would be at the centre of any Government he leads.
This Bill will now go to the Governor for assent, with the new laws set to be phased in from 1 August 2018 – this includes the ban on bunting at polling stations and the reduction in the disclosure limit to $1,000.
Quotes attributable to Special Minister of State Gavin Jennings
“These tough new donation laws will be the strictest and most transparent in the country – it simply beggars belief that Matthew Guy wants to take Victoria back to the days of cash in brown paper bags.”
“The Liberals fought tooth and nail to protect big corporations and developers, but were defeated.”
“Matthew Guy needs to now categorically rule out repealing this landmark legislation – the Victorian community will never accept a government where cash for decisions prevails.”
Reviewed 19 August 2020