No developer donations
Newcastle Greens
3 November 2006
Greens invite candidates to pledge: No developer donations
The Newcastle Greens candidate for the state seat of Newcastle, Cr Michael Osborne, today called on the other two candidates for the seat of Newcastle Cr John Tate and Jodi McKay to pledge that they would not accept donations from developers in the upcoming State election.
“Nobody believes that donations from developer are about philanthropy. In fact, it is a misnomer to even call them donations. They are not donations, they are purchases. Developers are buying influence, they are buying access, and they are buying government policy,” Mr Osborne said.
“The Newcastle Greens will not accept donations from developers.
“Today, I call on John Tate and Jodi McKay to pledge that they too will not accept donations from developers, either directly or indirectly,” Mr Osborne said.
The Macquarie Dictionary defines "bribe" as "anything given or serving to persuade or induce". To suggest that developer donations are not given in order "to persuade or induce" is akin to asking us to believe in the tooth fairy.
It was reported in the Sydney Morning Herald (1 November 2006) that:
The ALP has held several fund-raisers targeted at the property industry this year. The Minister for Planning, Frank Sartor, packed out the ballroom of the Westin hotel, and there have been several intimate dinners with ministers.
Research by the Greens on developer donations shows the NSW Labor Party has raised $8.78 million from the property sector since 1998-99, and the NSW Liberals and Nationals received $6.35 million.
The Greens Lee Rhiannon introduced a private members bill into the NSW Parliament in 2004 to ban donations from developers. The bill was voted down when the Labor and Liberal parties voted together.
Donations by developers can be searched at The Greens Democracy4Sale website (Democracy 4 sale), which is based on official electoral funding returns.
