MEDIA RELEASE
3 February 2014

Greens democracy spokesperson Senator Lee Rhiannon said 2012-13 electoral funding data released today by the Australian Electoral Commission today reveals that political donations in the year before the 2013 federal election hit a record $30 million with Labor and the Coalition parties sharing the bulk of that money coming in with over $13 million each.

The Australian Greens have completed preliminary analysis of new data released today by the Australian Electoral Commission for 2012/2013.

MEDIA RELEASE
30 December 2013

Palmer United MOU underscores need for Senate voting reform

The Australian Greens have called for reform of the Senate voting system after the release of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Palmer United Party and the Motoring Enthusiasts Party failed to clarify the relationship between the parties.

The Motoring Enthusiasts Party's Senator-elect, Ricky Muir, was elected despite polling only half a per cent of the primary vote in the 2013 federal election.

Finance and Public Administration Legislation Committee
19/11/2013
Estimates
FINANCE PORTFOLIO
Australian Electoral Commission

Senator RHIANNON: There were more candidates and parties in this election. Does that mean that your staff were busier compared with previous elections in most aspects of their work, in addition to counting ballot papers? If your staff were busier, did you have adequate resources to manage this additional workload?

Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee
18/11/2013
Estimates
ATTORNEY-GENERAL PORTFOLIO
Office of the Australian Information Commissioner

Senator RHIANNON: I was interested if staff numbers in any of the FOI units across government agencies have been reduced since the new government came in.

Prof. McMillan : Is that a question about the staff numbers across the Australian Public Service generally? 

The Australian Greens today launched a plan to keep federal politicians honest. "Voters must be able to trust politicians, but you can't trust Labor or Tony Abbott to be honest unless it is in their own interests, or in the interests of their big business mates," Greens Leader Senator Christine Milne said.

"It is time we restored honesty and integrity in politics which is why the Greens have a plan to lift the standards of government.

The Greens believe that Private First Class Bradley Manning's trial and sentence sets very dangerous precedents for whistleblowers, journalists, publishers and democracy itself. 

"After more than three years in prison, initially in an animal cage and sometimes stripped naked, Bradley Manning has been sentenced for 35 years (with 1294 days credit) for telling the truth about dirty wars," said Senator Scott Ludlam, Australian Greens Communications spokesperson.

Greens Senator for WA Scott Ludlam has urged voters who are not yet enrolled to spend a few minutes to enrol online, after new figures show WA lags behind most of the nation in voter enrolment.

"The latest statistics from the Electoral Commission show WA has the highest percentage of unenrolled voters after the Northern Territory and Queensland, and this is especially true of those aged 18 to 25, nearly a quarter of whom are not enrolled," Senator Ludlam said.

"This compares to Tasmania, where the young lead the nation at 86% enrolled to vote.

Labor and Coalition MPs united in the Senate late last night to increase secrecy around MPs expenses and the workings of parliament by rejecting Greens' amendments and voting in favour of a bill to exempt parliament from the scrutiny of freedom of information (FOI).

The Parliamentary Service Amendment (FOI) Bill will shield the Senate, House of Representatives and Parliamentary Services Department from the FOI Act completely and retrospectively.