Political Donations WA » Issues » The Democrats Recommendations To The Joint Standing Committee On Electoral Matters 2004 Report

1	Funding and disclosure
1.1	No media company or related entity or individual acting in the interests of a media company may donate in cash or kind to the electoral or campaign funding of a political party.
1.2	All electoral and campaign funding is subject to a financial cap, indexed to inflation and controlled by the Australian Electoral Commission. Section 294 of the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 should be amended to this end
1.3	No entity or individual may donate more than $100 000 per annum (in cash or kind) to political parties, independents or candidates, or to any person or entity on the understanding that it will be passed on to political parties, independents or candidates.
1.4	The donations loophole be closed that allows nine separate cheques to be written at a value just below the disclosure level, made out to the separate federal state and territory divisions of the same political party.
1.5	Additional disclosure requirements to apply to Political Parties, Independents and Candidates for fundraising and political donations.
1.6	Additional disclosure requirements to apply to political parties that receive donations from trusts or foundations. Should be obliged to return the money unless predetermined declarations of interest and/or relationship are made.
1.7	Political parties that receive donations from clubs (greater than those standard low amounts generally permitted as not needing disclosure) should be obliged to return these funds unless full disclosure of the true donor's identities are made.
1.8	Donations from overseas entities must be banned outright. Donations from Australian individuals living offshore should be permitted.
1.9	The Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 should specifically prohibit donations that have 'strings attached.'
1.10	The Corporations and Workplace laws be amended so that shareholders and members of registered organisations are required to periodically approve company or union political donations policies.
1.11	Where the Australian Electoral Commission conducts elections for registered and other organisations, the same provisions governing disclosure of donations for political organisations should apply.

The Democrats Recommendations to the JSCEM 2004 Report