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Legislative Council - Fifty-First Parliament, Third Session (51-3)
2009-12-02 Daily Xml
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POLITICAL DONATIONS

The Hon. M. PARNELL (15:05): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Mineral Resources Development, representing the Premier, a question about developer donations.

Leave granted.

The Hon. M. PARNELL: Two weeks ago, the New South Wales Premier, Nathan Rees, announced an immediate ban on donations from property developers to the New South Wales Labor Party. He is quoted as saying:

Not another cent. In fact, we will put the ban into law; it will cover all members of the NSW parliament. All local councillors. And all party units and organisations.

In responding to the move in an article on the ABC news website, the New South Wales Stateline presenter Quentin Dempster wrote that the New South Wales branch of the ALP had 'made an art form out of slush funding from property developers and vested interests industry lobbies'.

Similarly, in August this year, Queensland Premier Anna Bligh has been forced to start addressing similar concerns in her state by banning her ministers attending cosy ALP party fundraisers. Yet, despite the leadership shown by the parliamentary leaders of the ALP in New South Wales and Queensland, The Advertiser of 18 November reports that, when the Premier of our state was asked whether he would follow Nathan Rees' lead, he refused to comment. Members should also note that The Australian newspaper of 23 November reports that a major New South Wales lobbyist (former Clubs NSW chief executive, Mark Fitzgibbon) admitted that 'political donations bought the lobby group government access, which is used to influence policy'. He also said, 'I know it's a cliché, but there's no such thing as a free lunch.' My questions are:

1. Will the Premier match the leadership shown by his Labor colleagues in New South Wales and Queensland and immediately ban donations from developers to the ALP and the attendance by his ministers at intimate ALP fundraising events organised by SA Progressive Business? If not, why not?

2. Will the Premier commit to not using South Australia as a channel or conduit for New South Wales developers to continue donating to the New South Wales ALP by directing their donation through the South Australian branch of the ALP?

The Hon. P. HOLLOWAY (Minister for Mineral Resources Development, Minister for Urban Development and Planning, Minister for Small Business) (15:07): The Premier has already made the position of the Labor Party here public.

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