Greater Public Accountability

Please find below a motion I'm seeking to put to this year's Local Government Association Conference.

The objective is to close a loophole which can be exploited to encourage corrupt conduct amongst elected officials.

If you support this motion, please email - your support will add weight to the motion!

Motion

That the Local Government Association calls on the State and Federal governments to amend the relevant Legislation to improve transparency of donations to political parties and restore public confidence in local government by requiring all political parties disclose details about election or political fundraising functions.

The details that must be disclosed to the State Electoral Office for state and local elections and the Australian Electoral Office for federal elections must include:

• Name and address of individuals or organisations which outlays $500 or greater in political donation, whether it be in cash or in-kind by; purchasing fundraising dinner tickets, purchasing auction items at fundraisers, providing in-kind catering support for fundraisers, providing items to be auctioned at fundraisers

Political donation process must be made open and transparent. The public has a right to know which developer, big business, Clubs, other organisations or individuals donates to which political party as a safeguard against corruption.

Currently details above are required for cash donations to political parties. However, increasingly more donations are being generated through formal fundraising dinners by all political parties. There is currently no requirements for details of donors to be itemised when it comes to these fundraising dinners, just grand total of money raised.

This is a potential loophole which may lead to corrupt conduct. My motion will close this loophole and provide greater accountability and transparency to the political donation process.