Submission to the Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters Inquiry into the Conduct of the 2007 Federal Election

PIAC’s submission to the Federal Parliamentary Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters Inquiry into the 2007 Federal Election deals, in the main, with the issue of funding of campaigns such as donations and disclosure requirements. In its submission, PIAC proposes that:

• only individual citizens be able to make financial contributions that support political parties and candidates, and such donations should be capped;
• election spending of political parties and candidates be capped;
• the financial and other privileges of incumbents and governments be better regulated to minimise politically partisan use;
• citizens have a right to full information regarding the financial activities of governments, political parties and candidates and any other entities that have significant political influence;
• public funding be provided to parties and candidates at local, state and federal levels  in order to give greater financial equivalency, and that this funding should be tied to compliance with electoral law;
• Australian legislation and electoral support practices give effect to the Article 25 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which provides for universal suffrage, secret ballots ‘without unreasonable restrictions’.