Victoria seeks to change 'unconstitutional' donation laws amid High Court challenge

ABC NEWS (Australia)

A high court challenge to Victoria’s election laws has forced Premier Jacinta Allan into an embarrassing overhaul of the state's donation rules. The state government is proposing to overhaul the rules to allow all parties and independents to set up election war chests, that sit outside Victoria's strict donation caps.

Transcript

00:00Victoria often spruiks its tough election laws.

00:04Political donations are capped at $5,000.

00:07But the Labor, Liberal and National parties

00:09have enjoyed a special exemption in the form of nominated entities.

00:13These are war chests the three can access for extra funds

00:16that sit outside the donation cap.

00:18It just continually entrenches the unbearness

00:20and entrenches, you know, power to the major parties.

00:25Independent candidates Melissa Lowe and Paul Hopper

00:28have challenged these nominated entities in the High Court.

00:31In its legal defence to the court,

00:33Victoria has conceded the rules are discriminatory.

00:36We need to continue to strengthen Victoria's electoral donation laws.

00:42It still isn't a level playing field.

00:44Parties will be able to access half a million dollars

00:47from their nominated entities,

00:48but it can only be used for administrative costs, not campaigning.

00:51For independence, it will be capped at $50,000.

00:54The decision flies in the face of an expert review

00:57which recommended government close the nominated entities for everyone.

01:01Labor still has these dodgy funds

01:03that are set up to rig the electoral system

01:05in favour of the Labor and Liberal parties

01:07and lock out anyone else.

01:08The bill also enshrines a 10-day early voting period

01:11down from 12, while also granting a minister power

01:14over where polling booths are set up.

01:16Only in Victoria could a Labor government propose

01:21to rip away an independent electoral commissioner's right.

01:26The way Victorians vote in the upper house could change

01:28for the next election, with cross-party support

01:30to dump the controversial group voting tickets.

01:33That system has allowed secret preference deals

01:35with MPs elected with a tiny amount of votes.

01:38Instead, a report says Victoria should follow the Senate.

01:41It's been a change long called for.

01:46Ladies and gentlemen,

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