In an unusual move, two former independent parliamentarians are taking on the Government’s new electoral reform laws in court, challenging their legality. What’s the scam?
The scam is that Labor’s new electoral laws will favour the major parties and disadvantage independent candidates at Federal Elections. The laws passed both houses with Labor support from the LNP.
Supposedly designed to deter big-spending donors like Clive Palmer, the new laws put caps on spending by a candidate in an electorate to $800,000, and cap the number of candidates any one donor can support in a state or territory to five. It also caps the amount a donor can spend on a major party to $450,000, but does not cap or regulate what a party can funnel into each electorate over and above the candidate cap.
The corresponding cap for donations to single-candidate parties or individual candidates is set at $50,000. Together, these measures will hand a significant advantage to the established political parties by being able to outspend independent candidates.
Former independent MP for Goldstein (Vic), Zoe Daniel, and former Senator (and MWM contributor), Rex Patrick, claim these changes infringe on the implied freedom of political communication and are unconstitutional.
Zoe Daniel told The Guardian, “Labor and Liberal have conspired to try to ensure that politics remains a cosy table for two at which they are the only invitees, even as voters make it clearer and clearer that
they think less and less of the diet the major parties have to offer.
The American way. Electoral reform bill to entrench major parties’ power
Kim Wingerei is a businessman turned writer and commentator. He is passionate about free speech, human rights, democracy and the politics of change. Originally from Norway, Kim has lived in Australia for 30 years. Author of ‘Why Democracy is Broken – A Blueprint for Change’.