Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for the Centenary of ANZAC) Share this | Hansard source

The Leader of the Opposition has written to the Prime Minister expressing Labor's strong desire for action on this issue, urging him to instruct the coalition to refuse donations from the individuals named in the Four Corners report, as we have done. Labor has long advocated for a ban on foreign donations to Australian political parties and associated entities.

The Rudd and Gillard Labor governments attempted to ban foreign donations three times but our legislation was blocked in the Senate. Guess by whom? Last November, I introduced a private member's bill to ban foreign donations. In February this year, the opposition leader introduced the same legislation in that House. With the government's support, these important reforms could be made law as a matter of priority. The opposition leader has also written to the Prime Minister, calling on the government to support our call for a bipartisan reference to the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security. (Time expired)