Proposed Political Donation Reforms Spark Concerns Over Fairness

Australian government faces pushback from independents and minor parties over donation caps and spending limits favoring major parties.

Labor's proposed reforms aim to cap individual donations at $20,000, lower disclosure thresholds to $1,000, and impose spending limits of $800,000 per electorate.
Independents and minor parties argue the changes disproportionately benefit major parties by increasing public funding per vote and limiting their ability to compete.
The legislation includes provisions for real-time donation disclosures and stricter transparency measures to address 'dark money,' which accounted for $67.2 million in 2023-24.
Critics highlight that the reforms allow major parties to spend up to $90 million nationally, while independents face stricter caps and lack access to equivalent resources.
Negotiations continue in the Senate, with crossbenchers advocating for changes to ensure fair competition and transparency across the political landscape.