New polling commissioned by the Australia Institute shows that Australians overwhelmingly oppose the kind of cash-for-access schemes the major parties consistently use as fundraising vehicles. A majority also think cash-for-access constitutes corrupt conduct and think the practice should end.
The YouGov survey of more than 1,500 people in early October found:
- 82% agree (including 44% who strongly agree) that paying for exclusive access to politicians gives corporations and special interests unfair political influence
- 78 % agree (including 43% who strongly agree) that politicians should refuse to participate in events where participants with a vested interest in government policies have paid for exclusive access
- 63% thought cash-for-access constitutes corrupt conduct (25% weren’t sure)
ACT Independent Senator David Pocock has been pushing hard for lobbying reform and said the findings confirm the major parties are out of touch with community expectations.
“Australians shouldn’t have to pay to get privileged access to the parliamentarians they’ve elected to represent them,” Senator Pocock said.
“This polling confirms the behaviour of major party politicians is wildly out of step with Australians’ expectations.
“Not only do a majority of Australians oppose cash-for-access arrangements and want to see them end, they also think such behaviour is corrupt.
“Whether it’s access to the Chairman’s lounge, sponsorship of the Parliamentary Sports Club, so-called “business forum” sponsorships or untransparent, unbridled access to Parliament House we have to start cleaning up politics.
“Lobbying is an integral part of the political process but it should be equally open to anyone, regardless of wealth or financial privilege.
“I was recently booted out of the Parliamentary Sports Club for raising concerns about cash-for-access style sponsorship arrangements of what should be free and open-to-anyone social sporting events.”
Punter’s Politics’s Konrad Benjamin said it’s time the people had their own lobbyist to compete against vested interests and that’s what he was fundraising to deliver.
“Politicians call this ‘business as usual’. We punters call it corruption. If access to our democracy is for sale, then we’ll start putting in our own bids - not for influence, but to buy it back for the people. Then maybe the laws that get passed might actually benefit we the punters - not just boost the profits of Australia’s largest foreign-owned mining cartels or corporate monopolies. It’s time our representatives stopped dining with donors and started listening to their communities,” Mr Benjamin said.
Multiple community-backed independents have legislation aimed at increasing transparency, reducing the influence of vested interests, reforming lobbying, electoral law and other key elements to strengthen Australia's democracy.