The Albanese Government is close to finalising its plan for broad changes to election laws, including spending limits, donation caps and truth standards for political ads. Source: ABC News.
Senator Don Farrell, the minister in charge of electoral laws, will begin briefing the Coalition, Greens and independents on its plans next week, ahead of the bill’s likely introduction to Parliament in September.
Senator Farrell has consistently stated he wants multi-party support for the reforms, recognising the inherently contentious nature of any change to the electoral playing field.
But negotiations will begin with the Coalition and the crossbench almost entirely at odds with one another and sceptical of the Government’s plans.
The Coalition voiced its fundamental objection to political truth laws when the idea was endorsed last year by Parliament’s cross-party election committee.
It has also been wary about whether any spending and donations rules would apply evenly to unions and the private sector and would capture the novel funding structures used by teal independents.
For their part, Greens and independents want strong truth laws and donations transparency but are openly suspicious of what they call a Labor-Coalition “stitch-up” on spending limits for individual candidates.
Similar laws in some states have frustrated efforts to replicate the success of federal teals, several of whom spent millions on their own campaigns.
But Senator Farrell told the ABC that while he acknowledged the difficult balance, he was determined to land the changes.
“Electoral reform has been attempted by many, but achieved by very few,” he said.
“I am not shying away from what could be an opportunity for world-leading reform. If this was easy, someone else would have already done it.”
The Government hopes its bill could be passed by the end of the year and be implemented by next year. Changes would not take effect until the federal election after next.
FULL STORY
Government close to finalising electoral reforms but faces a sceptical Parliament (ABC News)
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