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To clean up Queensland’s electoral system, the Government has passed reforms through Parliament that restore fairness, transparency and integrity to elections.
In line with the Government’s commitment to put victims first, criminals serving a sentence of imprisonment or detention for one year or more will no longer be eligible to vote in state or local government elections, or referendums.
The Government has also delivered on its election commitment to level the playing field for political donations, with new legislation allowing both trade unions and property developers to make donations for state election campaigns.
The previous government’s ban on property developer donations at a state level was allegedly at odds with Recommendation 20 of the Crime and Corruption Commission’s Operation Belcarra Report, which focused on local government elections.
Importantly, the ban on property developers donating to local government election campaigns remains in place, with increased penalties for breaches to strengthen the local council donation ban.
Reforms to enhance integrity around political advertising will now require authorisations on all electoral material in the 12 months before polling day, encouraging transparency and ensuring Queenslanders know who is behind political advertisements.
The new laws make political donation cap periods annualised in alignment with New South Wales and the Commonwealth, while loans from regulated lenders and reputable financial institutions for electoral expenditure are now permitted.
Attorney-General and Minister for Justice and Minister for Integrity Deb Frecklington said the reforms helped restore a fairer electoral system.
“These reforms not only put victims first, but bring Queensland into line with other jurisdictions, and restore a genuine level playing field for political donations,” the Attorney-General said.
‘The Government has passed reforms through Parliament that restore fairness, transparency and integrity to elections.’ Photo sourced: Shutterstock
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