Government to introduce election funding reform laws

Caps on political donations and campaign spending would be established for the 2012 ACT Legislative Assembly Election under ACT Labor?s proposal to reform how political parties and elections are funded and run, Attorney General, Simon Corbell, announced today.

Mr Corbell will introduce the Electoral Amendment Bill 2012 into the Legislative Assembly on Thursday, and announced plans to limit donations that party and non-party candidates, groupings and third party campaigners can receive.

"In the lead up to an election, candidates, lobbyists, unions and associated players would be limited to spending $60,000 each on their campaign, while a cap on donations from any one donor would be set at $10,000 in a financial year," he said.

"Under the proposed reform, electoral expenditure will include advertising spend and the financing of opinion polls, as well as „gifts? including fundraising contributions of more than $250, and services provided other than volunteer labour."

Mr Corbell said the proposed caps achieved an appropriate balance between the need for transparency, and resourcing candidates and organisations to engage in political activity.

The Bill also proposes changes to the level of public funding candidates receive according to the level of votes received.

It further proposes the establishment of an administrative funding regime for political parties similar to those in place in New South Wales and Queensland.

Mr Corbell said the Bill emerged from recommendations from the Standing Committee on Justice and Community Safety?s Inquiry into Campaign Finance Reform, which the Government responded to in the Legislative Assembly today.