South Australia Premier imposes new ban on donations for political parties
South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas says political parties, sitting MPs and candidates are now banned from accepting money from external organisations in South Australia, including businesses, unions, and lobbyists.
All parties will now abide by a funding cap. Additionally, unions and businesses will also be able to run their separate advertising campaigns, but spending will be capped at $450,000.
'We have now guaranteed that the Liberal Party and the Labor Party have the exact same level of resources at the next state election,' Mr Malinauskas said.
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Sydney Morning Herald
5 hours ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
The Liberal Party has become a site for sore losers
The Liberals still don't get it if they want to throw money at trying to get a byelection in Bradfield ('Liberals push bosses to fund court challenge', July 2). The AEC is the most reputable and thorough election manager in the world, so what are the grounds to dispute the result, apart from sour grapes? Rather than make Gisele Kapterian look like a sore loser, get her ready for the next time in a winnable seat, if you can find one that is not already held or contested by one of your 'men of merit'. It has taken Labor 30 years to solve the same problem so you won't solve it in three years, and never solve it without quotas. You call yourselves the 'better economic managers' and the 'natural party of government' but right now, you just look like dumb, sore losers not even ready to be a credible Opposition in parliament. Peter Kamenyitzky, Castle Hill The Liberal Party would best be served by working out what it stands for, rather than trying to get a byelection in Bradfield via the Court of Disputed returns. Put another way – why would they risk another electoral defeat on their (yet to be reformed and reinvigorated) existing policies? They owe it to Australian democracy to become a credible opposition, to avoid the malaise of a one-party state. By the same token, the ALP has a once in a generation chance of embedding fair policies and legislation so that the conservatives would dare not repeal them in the future. Oh, for the likes of Robert Gordon Menzies, Ben Chifley and John Curtin to govern us all. Pasquale Vartuli, Wahroonga Another reason not to vote Liberal: they're sore losers. Are they hoping a court battle over one seat will distract the electorate from issues that do need attention and action? The wild weather this week is an unmissable reminder that our home planet is not happy with how we humans are treating it. Sharon Warner, North Turramurra Why? I would have thought the Liberals would be focused on developing a candidate and policy package that would recapture those voters who have left them (like me). Instead they seem to want to keep re-running the May 3 election, with senior members speaking against gender quotas and continuing to condemn Labor's energy policies. And now they are keen to have a byelection in Bradfield. Talk about a boy thing. My ego is bruised. I am not giving in. Michael McMullan, Avoca Beach This is the conservative way, from the Trump manual. Go to a court until you get the answer you want. Peter Bourke, Rockdale Good luck, Sussan Ley What self-respecting woman wishing to become an MP, even one of conservative bent, would want to join a Liberal Party in which the likes of Morrison, Abbott and Taylor wield influence (' Ley leads party that is anti-women ', July 2)? I admire Sussan Ley's political guts. Her story shows admirable aspects of character that enabled her to combat the sexual abuse she experienced and to get to the top of a menagerie of macho-macho men. I wish Sussan Ley well, yet I share Jenna Price's scepticism about how difficult it will be for her to alter or even modify ingrained attitudes of male prejudice, especially against talented women so capable of leadership roles. Ron Sinclair, Windradyne The wives and also many daughters of stalwart male Liberal Party members drifted away from the party some decades ago when they got sick of making suppers for male-dominated branch meetings and organising Miss Young Liberal balls. Sue Dyer, Downer (ACT) Safety in childcare Evidence increasingly points to serious flaws in staff management in perhaps many childcare centres (' Childcare abuse claims raise tough questions ', July 2). Yet again, we must ask whether safety considerations in childcare are so important that the risks are too great when profit is the primary motivation for owning and operating a childcare centre. The current government has taken giant steps to make childcare as affordable as possible, allowing parents to be gainfully employed. However, the substantial monetary support for the sector has created a 'honey pot', seemingly attracting individuals and corporations who may not be as diligent as required in recruitment, training and supervision of staff in their centres. Recruitment of quality carers is difficult due to low wages and there is a heavy reliance on casual staff, resulting in unstable work teams. 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In fact, I really can't understand why genuine leaders of the 'free world' persist in subjecting themselves to Trump's treachery and malevolence. I would love to see a situation where leaders of the world's major democracies send Trump 'to Coventry'; expel the US from NATO, cancel any treaties such as NAFTA and AUKUS, and announce that they will not be dictated to by Trump regarding their defence budgets. And on that subject, discontinue any defence purchases from the US. In short, treat Trump as persona non grata in world affairs. Let the adults run the show. Martyn Yeomans, Sapphire Beach It should be trivial for Australia to get an exemption from Trump's tariffs. All we have to do is to threaten to evict American troops from Darwin. If that's not enough, add Pine Gap. That's the kind of deal that he respects. Robert Fabian, Leichhardt Commonsense ruling Perpetuating 'age-old tropes against Jewish people', Wissam Haddad's (' Preacher's lectures ruled to be racist ', July 2) lectures being ruled as racist by the federal court would readily resonate with broader multicultural Australia. It is reasonable to argue that hate speech breeds fear; and that fear is a big impediment to harmony and peace. This is a commonsense win against hate speeches and intolerance, which are contrary to the notion of striving to live together peacefully in modern Australia. Hats off to the court decision that is firmly in line with the majority, and reasonable, public opinion. Steve Ngeow, Chatswood In climate war, we know the drill How many catastrophic weather events will it take to jolt politicians into saving our planet (‴ Bomb cyclone' set to intensify, 5m people told to take shelter ', July 2)? The latest list of unseasonal and catastrophic weather reports would presumably include the 'vigorous coastal low' stretching from the Mid-North Coast to the Illawarra, the long-running toxic algal bloom killing many marine species at South Australian beaches (both events attributed to sea temperatures about 2.5 degrees warmer than usual), as well as Europe's first wildfires and lethal heatwaves of the northern summer. Inconvenient as it is, the impact of climate change is now with us every day, in every corner of the globe. Can Prime Minister Albanese please assure us that, with all the political hot air that's happening about Australia's defence expenditure, his government is still committed to the war that is happening right now, namely the war against climate change? And that, notwithstanding the government's inexplicable approval for a 45-year expansion of the North West shelf gas project – and the current review into gas market regulations – will he really deliver the promised transition to renewables, which contributed in no small way to Labor's landslide election victory in May? Rob Firth, Red Hill (ACT) In cutting off the Australian access to satellite data on Antarctic sea ice, Trump has gone one better than shoot the messenger. It's now don't let them have a message. More seriously, this is part of a pattern of covering up the science on climate change to support the 'Drill, baby, drill' rhetoric. Steve Bright, North Avoca I certainly do not consider myself a conspiracy theorist, but I speculate that two items have a sinister link. Trump's cutting crucial satellite data, reflecting the scale of global warming, is a predictable ploy, thereby legitimising his climate change denial. However, the reported mysterious disappearance of a satellite that monitors the highly effective greenhouse gas, methane, is simply too coincidental. Responding to Trump's 'Drill, baby, drill' imperative, oil and gas drillers will inevitably, in the process, produce considerable quantities of methane. To obfuscate this pesky problem, simply initiate the disappearance of the monitoring satellite! Roger Epps, Armidale Trump seems determined that his ignorance should be enforced on the rest of the world. The only upside of his satellite decision is that Mar-a-Lago is only one metre above sea-level. Ross Hudson, Mount Martha (Vic) Why, other than out of spite? What is the point of the satellites being there if not for scientific research? It's not as if they need to be reserved solely for defence purposes. Defence of what? Are they needed to monitor enemy bases in Antarctica? Presumably, somebody at the Pentagon has worked out the cost of providing this data to scientists. 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Kenneth Smith, Orange Bell ringing? Now there's an interesting hobby. Just curious, though, could you actually ring out AC/DC's Highway to Hell over the rooftops? John Swanton, Coogee Your correspondent enumerated the joys of bell ringing but omitted its major downside. One becomes known as a campanologist. Rob Clifton-Steele, Chatswood Pen is mightier Your correspondent's (Letters, July 1) frustration in dealing with automatic, multi-choice telephone answering systems is shared by anyone who has ever had to deal with any kind of bureaucracy, government or business. One simple solution, at least in non-urgent situations, is to revert to pen and paper. Write a brief letter (to the CEO or department head if you're really upset). Nine times out of 10 you'll get action. Phil Rodwell, Redfern Centre holds The Coalition has yet to realise that Bob Hawke positioned Labor firmly as centre right – think privatisation of Qantas and Telecom, removal of protective tariffs and floating the dollar (Letters, July 2). Long term, Labor is probably more vulnerable on its left than its right. Michael Britt, MacMasters Beach
Perth Now
5 hours ago
- Perth Now
Shock move after Aussie artists sacked
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SBS Australia
5 hours ago
- SBS Australia
Victoria embraces truth telling and treaty with state voice to parliament
"We stand here with our feet firmly on the lands of the Kaurna people. I pay my respect to their elders past present and emerging, but the way we pay our respects first and foremost is not with our words but in our deeds. And there are no more powerful deeds than South Australia becoming the first place in our nation to pass a law enshrining an Indigenous voice to our Parliament." That was Peter Malinauskas, the premier of South Australia, when the state passed groundbreaking legislation for a state-based Voice to Parliament. Now, Victoria is set to follow South Australia's example. Jacinta Allan is Victoria's Premier. "As a state, we are up for this. We are up for this very simple common sense change of involving and listening to First People in the decisions that affect them." First Peoples' Assembly of Victoria Co-Chair Rueben Berg says the creation of the body has been on the table since January, part of treaty talks between the group and the state government. "To be able to build on the work of so many of our people across countless generations. To be able to say that we start the negotiations of the Treaty." How will the voice to Parliament work? The First Assembly - made up of 33 elected members - will provide advice on laws and policies that affect Indigenous communities in Victoria, from health and education to crime and development. The Premier says their voice to parliament will aim to enable First Nations people to have a better say. "The treaty process and outcome is grounded in that pretty simple common sense approach, that when you listen to people who are affected by policies and programs, when you involve them in the processes, you get better outcomes." The Premier says the state's Voice to parliament won't be written into its constitution because it does not require constitutional change, unlike the failed Federal proposal. Rueben Berg says negotiations will continue on the treaty, because of the importance of truth-telling and keeping government accountable. "Those conversations in a respectful way, and we'll be able to deliver a Treaty which will deliver powerful outcomes for our communities, powerful outcomes for all Victoria. Making sure that we get better outcomes for our communities. So that our future generations can thrive." The confirmation of a Victorian voice comes as the parliament has tabled its final two reports from the state's Yoorrook Commission, bringing an end to the work of the justice commission after four years of hearings and evidence from more than 200 witnesses. The reports made 100 recommendations across five volumes, and provided an official public record of Victoria's history since colonisation. But the official record features a disclaimer that three of the five commissioners - adjunct professor Sue-Anne Hunter, distinguished professor Maggie Walter and former Federal Court judge Anthony North - did not approve of the inclusion of the key findings in the final report. Still, Commission chair Eleanor Bourke said she had lived through many of the policies described in the pages, and hopes for real and lasting change for Victoria's First Nations communities. The highly respected Wergaia Wamba Wamba Elder, told the National Press Club in May she had been humbled by the Indigenous people who gave evidence - and encouraged by the decision to implement the Commission four years ago. "I knew it would be the hardest and most important work of my professional life, and so it has proved to be... In 2021 Victoria made history by establishing the Yoorrook Justice Commission, the first formal truth telling process in this country. Not a gesture, not a box tick, but a bold commitment to listen to the voices of the oldest living cultures on Earth."
