‘Billionaire’s playground’: Labor’s election funding reforms to be introduced in weeks
It's the clearest sign yet that Labor wants a deal with the Coalition, not the progressive cross bench, on reforms that would cap the influence of billionaire donors.
Special Minister of State Don Farrell has revealed that an overhaul of Australia's election system, including caps on political donations and spending, will be introduced to Parliament within weeks.
In a direct challenge to United Australia Party chairman Clive Palmer and Climate 200 founder Simon Holmes à Court, Farrell warned billionaires were treating elections as “their playground” and said the laws would not distinguish between “conservative dollars and progressive dollars”.
His remarks are the clearest sign Labor is seeking a deal with the Coalition rather than a progressive crossbench, which argues spending caps unfairly favour the major parties.
Details on the Albanese government’s proposed electoral reform package have been scant, with independents complaining they’ve been left in the dark and the Coalition yet to be briefed on the plan’s final make-up.
