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Donations to state parties dwindling

02 Feb, 2012 07:36 AM
POLITICAL donations appear to be dwindling for Tasmanian politicians as the Liberals come under fire for continuing to accept money from tobacco companies.

Financial statements released yesterday show the Tasmanian ALP branch banked $687,656 last financial year, compared with $2.1 million in 2009-10.

Surprisingly, the Tasmanian Greens topped that with $833,037 last financial year, compared with $1.25 million in 2009-10.

The Liberal Party was the state's richest with the Tasmanian branch cashing $1.44 million last financial year, down slightly from $1.9 million in 2009-10.

The largest single donation made in Australian political history was $1.68 million from Graeme Wood, co-owner of Triabunna Investments, to the Australian Greens.

The largest single political donation made in Tasmania in 2010-11 was from South Riana dairy farmer and 2010 Braddon candidate Garry Carpenter, who gave the Liberals $34,000.

The party also accepted $22,000 from British America Tobacco, $26,000 from Roberts Ltd and $15,900 from Philip Morris.

Tasmania Greens Leader Nick McKim MP said: ``As the only state party still accepting tobacco company political donations, any credibility the Liberals might have sought on public health policy has gone up in smoke.''

Premier Lara Giddings said it was a ``reprehensible situation''.

Tasmanian Liberals state director Sam McQuestin defended the donations, saying all were accepted and disclosed according to the law.

``Any suggestion that our policies are influenced by donations are debunked by the fact that we have a record second to none on smoking reform, including having supported every single anti-smoking measure put forward by this government,'' he said.

Mr McQuestin said there were no plans to stop accepting such donations, and said the Greens' public support for Mr Wood was the height of hypocrisy.

Last year, the Greens and Labor supported an in-principle ban on tobacco company donations, but a promised discussion paper from Attorney-General Brian Wightman is yet to be released.

Tasmanian ALP state secretary John Dowling said Labor had been pushing federally for major reform to donation disclosures. He said looking at state party totals did not paint an accurate picture as Australian Electoral Commission payments went to Labor's head office, not the state branch.

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Hang on a minute. Graeme Wood donates 1.68 million dollars to the Greens. And then wasn't it the Greens who threatened to bring down the Government if they supported a local Tasmanian timber industry bidder for the Triabunna chip mill? And then didn't Graeme Wood end up buying that wood chip mill instead?
Posted by Harry, 2/02/2012 7:06:10 AM, on The Examiner
so the hypocritical liberals are still accepting money from the big tobacco companies,political donations should be banned and to take money from foreign tobacco companies is the height of sleaze and ignorance !
Posted by ben, 2/02/2012 8:41:44 AM, on The Examiner
POLITICAL donations appear to be dwindling .......................

Give us a HALF decent politician and we might start donating!!

Posted by Voter, 2/02/2012 9:09:13 AM, on The Examiner
Well Ben you may decry the Liberals receiving donations from the tobacco industry, but the last time I looked it was still a legitimus business.

What next Alcohol, etc?

Posted by Brian, 2/02/2012 1:03:44 PM, on The Examiner
Just imagine how much in tax you non smokers would have to pay if the smokers gave it up for a year, and the loss of revenue for the goverment and yes tobacco is a legal product and has been for decades, why not tax alcohol as high as tobacco, no couldnt do that now could we ? That would be an outrage, and havent heard about any accidents on our roads due to tobacco, but plenty about alcohol, but thats ok to drink and drive, if you get caught its just a slap on the wrist now isnt it ? This is just blatant discrimination against smokers as well. How much do the drunks cost the health system ?
Posted by PB, 2/02/2012 5:31:40 PM, on The Examiner

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