Crossbench demands donations reform after $16m in ‘dark money’ flows into voice campaign (3 Apr 2024)
Article summary: Federal crossbenchers, including Independent MP Kate Chaney for Curtin, are calling for significant reforms to Australia's political donations laws following revelations that $16 million in "dark money" flowed into the Indigenous voice referendum campaign without disclosure. Nearly $80 million was reported in donations during the referendum, but due to Australia's political donations laws, including a $15,200 threshold for declaring donations, the sources of approximately 20% of these funds remain undisclosed. The Australian Democracy Network and other transparency advocates are pushing for the threshold to be lowered to $1,000 to improve transparency in federal elections. The disclosures have sparked a broader debate on the need for electoral reforms, including real-time donation disclosures and spending caps. Chaney emphasises the government's commitment to greater transparency and the urgency of implementing these changes before the next federal election to ensure voters are informed about the sources of campaign funding.
Related article: Push to 'clean up' political donations (20 Mar 2024)
