It isn’t as positive as it sounds. Donation reform is something the major parties have twisted into a method of consolidating their own power. The two major parties have both been losing support to third-party candidates, and these reforms are now being used as a means to stop that.
The linked article is very brief and doesn’t go into any real detail. Here’s a more in-depth (albeit somewhat opinionated) bit of coverage: https://www.crikey.com.au/2024/11/26/donations-reforms-hoax-major-parties/
Gina Rhinehart has entered the chat…
Does Australia allow super PAC type organisations?
Its all good to cap donations but if you can donate to an entity that’s not the party who will run ads and campaign for the party, then it doesn’t really matter that you capped party donations.
The PACs aren’t the issue, it’s that they are allowed unlimited spending. In Canada, where I live, third party spending is capped at $350K per registered partisan group.
Yeah good thought. Could you make a parent group that donates their donations to 100 other groups to get around it, or does Canada have something that protects against that sort of manipulation?
Nope. Collusion is not allowed.
