The Victorian Greens have renewed their call to ban political donations from property developers, gambling corporations and other powerful corporate interests, after revelations that a network of companies linked to three wealthy property developers donated almost $60,000 to the Victorian Liberal Party, exploiting a loophole in Victoria's donations laws.
Reports in the Age today reveal that nine companies with the same directors collectively donated $44,100 to the Liberals in a single week, with another three related Mensch Investments companies taking the total to $58,800.
The Greens say the revelation exposes exactly why Victoria's donation laws need a comprehensive rewrite - and why they fought to secure an independent expert review of the laws after this year's election, after Labor botched the Electoral Act and had it thrown out months prior to an election.
The Greens have called for political donations from property developers, gambling corporations and other corporations with significant financial interests in government decisions to be banned. In the recent electoral act laws, the Greens also called for donations to be linked to an individual - to stop this exact situation happening where one individual can donate multiple times under different businesses - but Labor refused to fix this loophole.
As stated by the Leader of the Victorian Greens, Ellen Sandell:
"Corporate donations are destroying our democracy. Labor, the Liberals and One Nation are all pocketing donations from property developers, gambling corporations and fossil fuel giants. When powerful industries are writing big cheques, they expect something in return.
"Labor's allowed these dodgy donations to continue, and the Greens want to close these dodgy loopholes and get big money out of politics. Victorians expect decisions to be made for them, not the big corporate donors who are bankrolling the Labor, Liberal or One Nation parties."
