For immediate release, Thursday 12 November, 2009
POLL: PUBLIC WANT TO CLEAN UP DEMOCRACY
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Xenophon backs GetUp! campaign
The vast majority of Australians – 86% - want a limit on the amount of money that
political parties can spend on federal election campaigns, according to new poll
results released by GetUp.
A further 55% of people think there should be a cap on donations from
individuals to political parties, and 67% think that companies who donate to
parties have undue influence on elected representatives.
The results of the GetUp! Auspoll survey show strong public support for GetUp
proposals, backed by Senator Xenaphon, to clean up democracy by stopping
wealthy individuals and corporates from bank-rolling politicians.
GetUp! – a 330,000-member organisation aimed at boosting political participation
–
is campaigning to ban corporate donations to politicians, cap individual
donations at $1000 and limit electoral expenditure. It has collected 27,638
signatures from its members on its petition calling for an end to corporate
donations.
Simon Sheikh, National Director of GetUp! said, “It's time to restore faith in our
political system. Elections should be about winning the hearts and minds of the
Australian public – not a cash contest bankrolled by the rich.
“Our democracy should not be for sale but right now those elected to represent
the public are taking cash from those who stand to gain from government policy.
“A system that encourages small donations – like Obama did for his campaign –
would put the ordinary Australian in the driving seat, and prevent the wealthy
having undue influence,” he said.
Senator Nick Xenophon backs reforms to limit donations. He said, “If you give a
pollie $1000 you support them, but if you give a pollie $100,000 you own them.
No-one should own our politicians,” Nick said.
“We need to get the money out of politics to ensure our parliament acts in the
national interest and not in the interests of wealthy corporations and individuals.”
ENDS - PTO
Media enquiries: Esther Black 0410 729 594
GetUp is a not-for-profit and receives no money from any political party or the
government. It relies solely on funds and in-kind donations from the Australian
public.
Auspoll conducted the survey online in late Sep 2009
Questions and results:
Do you think that there should be a limit on the amount of money that
political parties and other interest groups can spend on federal election
campaigns (such as on TV and radio advertising)? (1550 people polled)
Strongly agree - 57%
Agree - 29%
Neither agree nor disagree - 9%
Disagree - 1%
Strongly disagree - 4%
To what extent do you agree with the following (1220 people polled):
We should cap or limit donations from individuals to political party election
campaigns
Strongly agree – 19%
Agree – 36%
Neutral – 30%
Disagree – 12%
Strongly disagree – 3%
Companies who donate to election campaigns probably get more access to
politicians than those who don’t
Strongly agree – 24%
Agree – 43%
Neutral – 26%
Disagree – 5%
Strongly disagree – 3%
NEWS 
