House debates Questions without Notice

Donations to Political Parties

Wednesday, 29 March 2017 House of Representatives

Mr Tony Burke

Mr Tony Burke Watson, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Finance

2:55 pm

My question is to the Prime Minister. In previous answers the Prime Minister has referred to cutting the pay of Australian workers and secret donations. Will the Prime Minister also cut off the trail of secret donations by introducing legislation to require transparency for payments made to the following organisations: the Menzies 200 Club; Liberal Properties; Fafold; The Cormack Foundation; the Greenfields Foundation; Free Enterprise Foundation; Team 200 Club; Foundation 51; Ripon 250 Club; Enterprise West; the Geelong 500 Club? Or, again, is it a different rule if it is a Liberal Party organisation?

Malcolm Turnbull

Malcolm Turnbull Wentworth, Liberal Party, Prime Minister

2:56 pm

I did not catch the names of all of those entities. Most of the ones I heard are associated entities. For example, I am sure that the Free Enterprise Foundation, which the honourable member mentioned, is an associated entity, the donations to which are disclosed on the Australian Electoral Commission website. I think the honourable member will find that entities that are associated with political parties disclose under the Electoral Act. But I am happy to refer his inquiry to the Special Minister of State and I will take a note of the list of the entities provided.

The government is fully supportive of complete transparency in relation to these matters. I think the honourable member will find that those entities that he mentioned, certainly the Free Enterprise Foundation, are associated entities and the donations are disclosed in accordance with the law.