Sign the open letter: Get big money out of politics!

One vote one value seems like a naive concept but that is what democracy stands on. All adult citizens get a vote. For us to believe in the system and the value of our vote, all who care about ideals of democracy and freedom, must vigorously oppose the bribery of our representatives and their parties by the influence of big money donations.

Lauren McFarlane

Corporations are not people and should not be allowed to donate to political parties at all – that is simply legal bribery and destroys a functioning democracy. At a minimum, we need real time reporting of donations with no loopholes.

People deserve to know who is paying for the decisions which affect us all. We need total transparency , easy access 24/7 to a site where we can see ALL political donations of any amount or kind and a system where auditors can check politician’s personal and political accounts. We have lost trust .

Damien Ziebell

Survival. The people with power, by virtue of their enormous wealth, always get what they want through bribery and coercion. Our political system was designed to prevent democracy, not be democracy.
The powerful people of the time made sure they had a ‘back door’ to power. They had no intention of transferring power ‘to the people’. The result is there for all to see.
The only two political parties that have a chance to form Government have the same policies on fossil fuels, taxation and the destruction of civil liberties.
Both will champion defence spending because, guess what? They’re preparing for the wars that unchecked global warming will bring.
Would the people condemn themselves to poverty, misery and death?
Of course not! There is no democracy.

Trust is a big issue with our politicians. when we start to believe what our politicians are saying is true on topics like this we will believe them on other issues. Playing the mates game only feeds to ever growing conspiracy theorists and this accepts everything including whether people trust in vaccinations. Integrity is everything.

I was brought up to believe that governments and the politicians elected by the people were there to represent all of us, not just those of similar political persuasion.
Yet that does not seem to be the case.
It shouldn’t come as a shock to me that money talks, but it does. I see unfairness everywhere. Big business being given endless handouts by the government, with no expectation of repayment when they make huge profits from the taxpayers’ money they’ve been gifted. Whilst people who are hard up are expected to pay back the pittance that got them through the tough times.
I see the media talking up everything to do with the LNP and only negative reports on any other political party.
The media should be made to stay out of politics and big business shouldn’t be allowed to make huge donations to any political party. I actually thought that had all been dealt with, but apparently not.
Here in this amazing sunny country of ours, we have no excuse to be so far behind the rest of the world when it comes to renewable energy sources. However, as long as the mining and energy sectors exert such sway over our politicians, I fear we will continue to lag behind.
It’s time we had someone in charge who actually cares as much as the rest of us do.
Thank Heaven for all those local government and state government departments that have taken things into their own hands and are already producing green energy.
Take big business and media monopoly out of politics once and for all. Make us truly democratic.
Thank you.

A democratic government should represent everyone from the ground up and not favour the views and demands of big donators who represent the fossil fuel industry. It is time to make better choices for climate change management.

Big Corporates are generally only interested in profit. We Aussies recognise WE MUST take action to look after our planet because Politicians do NOT care

To be a good ancestor for future generations means prioritising long term benefits for the future and not just the bottom line of big businesses.

This has gone on for too long unchanged by politicians, though challenged by many. Time to put a big limit on donations and reveal who is paying them and to whom. Now is the time for an independent national ICAC. Erst Carmichael

Peter Maybury

Democracy is meant to be all voices heard from the ground up – not from a few rich giants down.

Our democracy is seriously threatened on al sides – from outdated religious ideologies, from fake news, from conspiracy theories – and from cynical exercise of power and influence through self-interested political donations.
It’s time to put a big lid on this – it’s not hard!

BIG MONEY always CORRUPTS whatever it becomes involved with. This is why TRICKLE DOWN does not work – GREED.

The failure of Australia’s democratic processes is evident in the growing accumulation of wealth with an influential few to the detriment of the majority of Australia’s ‘shareholders’. Lobbyists should not be permitted to operate except under strict control and transparency. Political donations should be banned and elections funded by the nation.