Wednesday, June 21, 2006
Taxpayer-funded Elections - an alternative
The ALP and the Liberals have conspired to grant themselves access to public funds to pay for their election expenses and they trot out flawed reasoning to support the "need" for this disgraceful exercise in self-interest.
The Nationals and the Greens have fallen into line with the promise of relaxed requirements for party funding.
I suggest an alternative course of action that will answer every argument they put forward without any cost to taxpayers.
Firstly, put a reasonable cap on spending allowed by candidates. I suggest the sum of twenty-five thousand dollars is more than adequate in a Legislative Assembly electorate and ten thousand dollars per candidate for a Legislative Council region.
Second, in place of the current election spending return, demand a full audit of receipts and spending for every candidate. The audit would include the cost of phone polling etc. throughout the year. The cost of the audit would be included in the nomination fee paid by candidates.
Finally, impose severe penalties for overspending. Since both parties support mandatory penalties when it is politically expedient for them, I suggest the automatic disqualification of any candidate that overspends. No appeals allowed.
Independent candidates and minor parties would be more likely to put themselves forward and voters would get greater choice. After all, choice is the very heart of any democratic system of government.
On the other hand, maybe the major parties don’t really want us to have a choice.
The Nationals and the Greens have fallen into line with the promise of relaxed requirements for party funding.
I suggest an alternative course of action that will answer every argument they put forward without any cost to taxpayers.
Firstly, put a reasonable cap on spending allowed by candidates. I suggest the sum of twenty-five thousand dollars is more than adequate in a Legislative Assembly electorate and ten thousand dollars per candidate for a Legislative Council region.
Second, in place of the current election spending return, demand a full audit of receipts and spending for every candidate. The audit would include the cost of phone polling etc. throughout the year. The cost of the audit would be included in the nomination fee paid by candidates.
Finally, impose severe penalties for overspending. Since both parties support mandatory penalties when it is politically expedient for them, I suggest the automatic disqualification of any candidate that overspends. No appeals allowed.
Independent candidates and minor parties would be more likely to put themselves forward and voters would get greater choice. After all, choice is the very heart of any democratic system of government.
On the other hand, maybe the major parties don’t really want us to have a choice.
# posted by Yakbladder @ 6:49 PM 
