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“
Calls
to end political donations are increasing but continue to be ignored
by greedy political parties, says health group ASH Australia -
following a new report from the Australian Electoral Commission
revealing latest round of donations to political parties and
candidates. “Controversial
industries, such as tobacco companies, continue to donate large
amounts of money – $250,000 so far during 2005/2006 to Liberal and
National parties – to gain ‘backdoor’ influence over health
policies”, said ASH CEO Anne Jones. Meanwhile,
their addictive, lethal tobacco products kill 19,000 Australians and
cost the community $21B in costs each year. “Companies
who give large donations to politicians always expect favourable
treatment in return and they appear to get what they want – long
delays and dumbing down of government policies to reduce smoking
rates”, said Anne Jones. Concerns
are growing that the political influence of powerful tobacco and
gambling groups is getting easier, following the Federal
Government’s decision last year to make donations easier to conceal
by increasing the disclosure threshold from $1500 to $10,000. Reform
is urgently needed to end political donations that undermine the
democratic process and interfere with good decision making by
governments, warns ASH. Report
at www.aec.gov.au
under “annual
disclosure returns”
Comment: Anne Jones, CEO, ASH Australia m. 0417-227-879 Media
info: Stafford
Sanders, ASH Australia
ph. (02) 9334-1823; m.
0412-070-194
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Page last updated 5/2/07 |
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