The South Australian Government has proposed major changes to electoral laws, including a ban on donations to political parties and MPs, to address the problem of cash-for-access where wealthy individuals or groups get access to law-makers through donations.

The draft Electoral (Accountability and Integrity) Amendment Bill 2024 also significantly increases public funding available to parties and politicians, and applies a cap on spending for all parties and candidates. The Bill doesn’t propose any limits to how much can be donated to third parties or how much they can spend.

The Australian Democracy Network cautiously welcomes the announcement and calls for a parliamentary enquiry so the bill can be properly scrutinised.

Lines attributable to Ray Yoshida, Campaigner at Australian Democracy Network:

“We applaud the ambition and intention of the Malinauskas Government’s electoral amendment Bill. The ability of wealthy interests to pay for access to decision-makers is undemocratic and must be stopped.

This bill has the potential to be a game-changer for politics in South Australia and make the state a leader in the nation. We strongly encourage the federal Minister Don Farrell to take the issue of cash for access just as seriously in upcoming federal reforms.”

“It’s also heartening to hear the Premier state clearly that reforms need to ensure a level playing field between new entrants and sitting MPs. However, in practice this is fiendishly complex and it’s unclear whether the draft bill gets the balance right.

It’s unclear why the Malinauskas Government is proposing additional public funding for political parties given they are proposing to cap spending, and it’s likely this will strongly benefit the major parties above everyone else.”

“A major gap in the bill is how it doesn’t propose any limits on spending by third parties. A healthy electoral system is one where no single voice can dominate the field.

“It’s critical that there is a parliamentary inquiry with public hearings given the scale of the changes and how vital it is to get the details right.”

Journalists seeking further comment can contact Isabella Morand at isabella.morand@australiandemocracy.org.au or on 0407 356 084.