Skip to playerSkip to main content
  • 6 hours ago
Amid the race towards the upcoming March poll, most candidates can't ask for or accept any donations under strict new state bans. But political parties can still ask for help in paying for federal campaigns raising concerns from experts about whether the risk of influence still remains in South Australia.

Category

📺
TV
Transcript
00:02Removing money and influence from politics was a promised Labor leader Peter Malinowskis
00:07made heading into the last state election.
00:09And he's made good on that promise, with strict bans against asking for or accepting
00:14donations now in place.
00:16However, parties can still legally raise money from South Australians, provided those funds
00:21go towards federal campaigns.
00:23SA's Labor Party, the Liberals and the Greens host donation pages on their websites.
00:28All say they're complying with the law and aren't taking any funds for their state branches.
00:34But political experts say these pages raise questions about the risk of influence and perceptions
00:40about donations.
00:41There is a danger that a private contribution that's made for a federal purpose runs the
00:47risk of having an influence on the state operations and decisions of a party.
00:53Others say while it's completely legal and even understandable for parties to keep fundraising,
00:57it isn't a good look.
00:59It looks a bit incongruous given that the parties are adhering to a brand new law in South Australia
01:06precluding private donations and yet there's a form on the website calling for them.
01:10One Nation is an exception to the rule.
01:13It can ask for donations because there wasn't a sitting MP when the election was called.
01:18State Labor says it's also pushing for national reform in this area, with changes to take effect
01:23later this year.
01:25But for as long as federal donations are still allowed, expect to see forms popping up on
01:30South Australian party websites.
Comments

Recommended