Campaign Spending

Roland GRNS said :

And the Canadian system doesn’t give politicans the power to regulate all other political activity,as far as i can see.

…?

Mate, that’s the crux of your system.

I don’t think there is anything reassuring in simply assuming your politians are bent.

And the Canadian system doesn’t give politicans the power to regulate all other political activity,as far as i can see.

Agree with jakez there.

I’d rather assume my politicians are bent than give them the power to regulate all other political activity.

Roland GRNS said :

The Public Interest Adnvocacy Centre (and Greens, among others) is proposing something like the Canadian model with a cap on expenditure (including 3rd party expenditure), public funding of political parties, and very tight limits on political donations.

I find that to be a very scary system.

Labor and Liberal opposed Greens MLA Deb Foskey’s amendments to the ACT Electoral Act that would have required parties to disclose the source of their donations BEFORE the election.

The Public Interest Adnvocacy Centre (and Greens, among others) is proposing something like the Canadian model with a cap on expenditure (including 3rd party expenditure), public funding of political parties, and very tight limits on political donations.

Aurelius said :

Jakez, We do have legalised vote buying. It’s usually called “Budget Night” in the media.

*thumbs up*

That spending limit only applies for the (mostly) non-partisan Upper house elections that take place quite regularly, independent of the lower house big spend partisan campaigns.

Election finance reform needs to examine the role of front organisations like Getup, ACTU, Australian Business Council. Note the electoral law in new Zealand requires registration of third party groups and regulates their spending.

dumb idea, doesn’t work in tassie wont work here.

if spending limits were enacted it far too easy for both majors to use ‘sister groups’ to spend money campaigning for them, eg “Honest Australias in favour of the colour red” advertising for the alp and “hardworking aussies who like blue” for the libs.

besides i think the act system is already far too geared in favour of minority parties.

Jakez, We do have legalised vote buying. It’s usually called “Budget Night” in the media.

I say we go in the complete opposite direction and legalise bribing people for their vote 😉