Negotiations with minor parties including Fiona Patten’s Reason Party and the Shooters,Fishers and Farmers party were made necessary when the Coalition this month withdrew its support for the bill which it had initially supported.
The government says its Electoral Legislation Reform Bill will give Victoria the strictest and most transparent donation laws in Australia,included a total ban on foreign donations,a cap of $4000 over four years for all donors,and the requirement for real time disclosure for all donations over $1000.
Tens of millions of dollars in public funding will make up for the loss of donations revenue to parties. Mr Jennings said the reform was a response to mounting distrust of politicians and their dealings with donors.
“I just think the community has been concerned about the potential for private or exclusive interests to dictate government policy and for that reason we want to save politicians from themselves,’’ Mr Jennings said.
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“We want to take politicians out of harm’s way,and to allow them to get on with their job without the perception they’re being compromised.’’
Following the government’s surprise announcement in September last year of its plan for donations reform,Labor spent months negotiating with the Liberal party in particular,but also with minor parties and others,about details of the bill.