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Ryan at odds with election watchdogThe Member for Gippsland East, Craig Ingram, has condemned the head of the Victorian National Party, Peter Ryan for his constant defence of the current inadequate probity and accountability checks for associated entities. By Craig Ingram - 18th June 2004 - Back to News Mr Ingram says the Nationals have totally missed the point on his recent calls for tighter accountability checks for political donations.
"Mr Ryan whines that every donation to his party is declared," Mr Ingram said.
"In Victoria, the total amount donated over the past five years to the Victorian branch of the National Party - from two companies who have links with the party - is $1,861,079.21.
"Unfortunately, the public is in the dark to the origins of this money and the Australian Electoral Commission does not have the power to force the two companies - Doogary Pty Ltd and Pilliwinks Pty Ltd - to disclose who has donated, or to even have the organisations declared as associated entities, which will require them to adhere to the very basic disclosure requirements.
"In a similar vein in both NSW and Queensland, the Nationals’ fundraising arm shares the same address as the party’s head office.
"The National Party in NSW has received $3,585,941.00 in the past five years from organisations that share the same address as the party.
"The same is occurring in Queensland the Nationals have received $2,092,891.60 from five companies or trusts that share the same address as the party.
"This is a total of over $7.5 million of donations that the party has received that is subject to the most minimalist disclosure requirements.
"The question that needs to be answered by the Nationals and the two major political parties is where does this money come from and what is expected in return?
"Peter Ryan’s position is at odds with the recommendations and findings of countless reports from the Australian Electoral Commission, which is the independent auditor that he proudly boasts has given his party a clean billing, but whose recommendations have never been implemented.
"The AEC has previously commented that ‘the disclosure provisions contained in the Electoral Act have the objective of informing the public of the financial dealings of political parties, candidates and others involved in federal elections’.
"In other words, to prevent political corruption by making the financing of political parties and candidates as transparent as possible.
"But the second reading speech when the disclosure laws were introduced sums it up: ‘It is simply naive to believe that no big donor is ever likely to want his cut sometime.’
"Australians deserve to know who is giving money to political parties and how much," Mr Ingram concluded.
Source: http://gippsland.com/ Published by: news@gippsland.com
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