The Wire

The Federal government has decided that $10,000 is not really that much money, not when you are talking about donations to political parties. And if legislation due to be reintroduced to parliament this week gets passed, corporations and groups will be able to donate up to $10,000 to the political party of their choice, without having to tell a soul. At the moment, individual donations over $150 and donations from corporations or other groups over $1500 must be disclosed. But the electoral and referendum amendment Bill 2005 will change all of that. A recent report by Melbourne University law academics, Sally Young and Joo Cheong Tham said that even discounting the current legislation, Australia’s disclosure of political donations is a bit slip shod. Joo-Cheong Tham spoke to The Wire.