We just learned the Head of Corporate Affairs for QCoal has been writing environment policy for the Liberal National Party since 2012. So what chance does our reef or climate have when a senior coal executive is calling the shots?
And it's about to get much worse. As early as this afternoon, Premier Newman and LNP MPs could pass a pack of "Highest Bidder" laws that would mean no limits — no limits — on political donations to parties and candidates.
Call your MP and tell them to vote no to the Highest Bidder laws.
If Gina Rinehart, Rupert Murdoch or any big company wanted to give $100k, $1 million, or $10 million to the LNP, Labor or your local MP, they could. Even people convicted of corruption would have free rein to donate millions and try to buy influence. It's QCoal now, but just think of who could be setting policy once these laws pass.
Even more dodgy, these new laws will take the teeth out of the watchdog setup to protect Queensland from government corruption. We can't "keep the bastards honest" if we don't even know what they're getting up to. It takes us right back to the dark old days of 'Sir Joh' and governing for the boys.
The Assistant Health Minister, Dr Chris Davis, recently said about the proposed watchdog changes "I'm yet to be convinced that this is something that is essential to the future of Queensland, this change," and added "I want our Government to be responsive to reasonable public perceptions".
Make sure Dr Davis and his colleagues know that you want them to vote no to the Highest Bidder laws.
Whenever one political faction dominates Parliament, the only thing standing between them and abuse of power are the people who elect them. With these laws going to a vote at any time, we need a big public outcry now to let the Newman Government know that there is always a watchdog out there — us.
What would the Highest Bidder laws do?
Floods of Cash. Big companies, like QCoal, along with millionaires and billionaires could give unlimited money because Queensland's current caps of $5,300 to a party and $2,200 per candidate would be stripped away
Secret Money. More than $1.1 million from one source could be given secretly to MPs across Parliament without being declared.
Raiding the Public Kitty. A new stack of taxpayer money — likely to be millions -- would flow to the major parties, with the majority going to whichever party's in power, helping to keep them there.
Toothless Watchdog. The head of the Crime and Misconduct Commission would be picked by the Government, instead of the current bi-partisan selection, and the Commission would give less priority to uncovering political corruption.
The worst kind of corruption is the kind that allows for more corruption and let's the rot set in. These Highest Bidder laws will be like a cancer on Queensland politics for generations to come, because once the money flows in, it's hard get it back out. That's why we have to act now.
Stop the rot — sign the petition to stop the new "Highest Bidder" laws now and make sure your friends know about it too.
The maths are simple: Money = access = influence = power. We've seen it before in Queensland, and we're seeing it now in New South Wales, where the Independent Commission Against Corruption is uncovering scandal after scandal, from $3,000 bottles of wine to huge developer-backed political slush funds.
Big money will choke any voice that Queenslanders have in government. So, when they're legislating on the reef, the families who rely on tourism and a pristine Reef won't be heard. On the environment, the victims of Queensland's devastating floods won't get a word in.
It'll be government for the highest bidder, unless we stand up now to cut these laws down.
https://www.getup.org.au/CleanUpYourAct
Thanks,
