Tuesday, 16 August 2022

Ministers statements: political donations

Mr PEARSON (Essendon—Assistant Treasurer, Minister for Regulatory Reform, Minister for Government Services, Minister for Housing) (14:36): I rise again to remind the house that Victoria’s donation laws are the strictest in the nation. The reforms to the Electoral Act 2002 in 2018 made sweeping changes to the way people make and receive political donations in this state. For those in the house that may not know, the Victorian Electoral Commission is responsible for the administration of our donation laws. The Victorian Electoral Commission takes its oversight role incredibly seriously and will be closely monitoring for any desperate attempts to circumvent disclosure and reporting requirements in the lead-up to the state election. On the Victorian Electoral Commission’s website there is comprehensive information for both donors and recipients about what is and what is not allowed. It is all there, spelt out in black and white for all to see—every Victorian law and regulation on political donations in simple, clear and concise language.

To be fair, some in this chamber may have difficulty comprehending these simple and clear laws, so let me remind the house what the Andrews Labor government have done. What did we do to foreign donations? We banned them. What did we do to anonymous donations of $1080 and above? We banned them. Multiple donations from a single donor to a single recipient which add up to the donation cap of $4320 in four years—we banned those too. As you have heard, the donation rules are very clear, but as the Minister for Government Services I think it is timely to remind the house about these nation-leading reforms.

You cannot change history. Those opposite voted against these reforms, and if they had their way, they would scrap our donation laws altogether. The Leader of the Opposition needs to answer this simple question: since the new laws came into effect in 2018 has anyone employed by the opposition been paid by an undeclared source? When asked the same question last week the member for Malvern answered ‘No’. It is a simple yes or no, so why can’t the current Leader of the Opposition do the same and answer this very simple question?

Ms Vallence: Speaker, I wish to raise a point of order for a number of adjournment matters that have not been answered within the allocated time: to the Minister for Housing, adjournment 6388 about housing affordability in the Yarra Ranges and the homelessness crisis that was asked on 26 May, 82 days ago; and adjournment matter 6414 to the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events, including sports shooting in the 2026 Commonwealth Games, asked on 8 June 2022, 69 days ago. I would appreciate some answers to those questions for my community.

The SPEAKER: The point of order will be followed through.