Qld donation law ‘to silence charities’
Share
The Queensland government is facing calls to amend its plans to further limit political donations by civil society groups who say they’d be silenced.
Legal bodies, conservationists and a church argue the proposed law will push them from political debate unless they’re amended.
However, the state government says its proposed legislation will even the playing field ahead of elections by curbing political donations and election spending.
The groups were due to front a parliamentary committee on Monday, after lawyers on Friday suggested the bill could face a High Court challenge.
They say that if passed, it would impose onerous compliance obligations on any community group or charity that spends more than $1000 on election advocacy, with criminal penalties for non-compliance.
But corporations would not face restrictions on the income they can use on campaigning, and will be able to spend up to $1 million on election advertising.
Head of the Uniting Church in Queensland Rev David Baker said he sees the laws “as a constraint on freedom of speech, a cornerstone of our Australian society”.
Director of the Queensland Conservation Council Louise Mattheison said the new laws would “unintentionally silence community organisations doing important advocacy work”.
Queensland Council for Civil Liberties president Michael Cope labelled the restrictions as “entirely unacceptable”.
“They will impose significant burdens on many organisations that are simply advocating on behalf of the disadvantaged,” Cope said.
The bill would introduce a new criminal offence for government ministers who don’t properly report conflicts of interest, after recommendations by the Crime and Corruption Commission.
Last year, the government claimed the CCC was happy with the bill following consultations with the corruption watchdog.
But in its submission to the parliamentary committee, the CCC said the government had watered down its recommendations.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk now says its discussions with the commission are ongoing.
“My understanding is that the committee will report back in early February and those laws will be debated,” she said on Monday.
“This is the normal practice that happens with the community.”
The parliamentary committee will make recommendations after public consultation, which the state government considers.
with AAP
Pearl Dy is a community manager and journalist. She is passionate about business and development particularly involving not-for-profits, charity and social entrepreneurship.
