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NSW donations inquiry report raises the bar for Premier Iemma
22/06/2008
Greens MP Lee Rhiannon has today congratulated members of the NSW parliamentary inquiry into political donations for their report and called on Premier Iemma to immediately endorse its recommendations and provide a timeframe for its implementation to help restore public confidence in the political process.
"Premier Iemma now has a comprehensive road map for how to clean up donations in this state," Ms Rhiannon said.
"Today Mr Iemma should take the important step of endorsing this report and set a timeframe for its implementation.
"NSW would follow in the steps of Canada which has been a successful model of electoral funding reform.
*The recommendations of the report, if implemented, will significantly restore public confidence in the political process.
"Ignoring this report would see further damage to the democratic process by allowing the running sore of donations scandals to continue.
"In particular, the Greens support the cap on election spending, public funding of elections, the ban on all corporate donations save individual donations to $1,000 and greater transparency in the donations process.
"It is disappointing that actual figures were not set for caps on election spending and spending by third parties, and that a stronger approach was not taken to donations by associated entities.
"The current system of political donations is widely discredited and an urgent overhaul is now needed," Ms Rhiannon said.
For more information:
Lee Rhiannon - 0427 861 568, 9230 3551
Visit the Greens donations project at www.democracy4sale.org
The inquiry report: http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/prod/parlment/committee.nsf/0/1CA6D5A89FABD975CA25746D00063640
[via Lee Rhiannon MLC Media Release Thursday 19 June 2008 link]
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