Work for a Fair Democracy #OurDemocracy. The Human Rights Law Centre, the Australian Conservation Foundation and the Australian Democracy Network are building a broad coalition for a better democracy, where our elected representatives put Australians’ interests first, not those of their wealthy donors and mates. ARRCC has joined this coalition. We have joined because there seems no other reasonable explanation for the fact that our current federal government refuses to legislate sensible policies to keep us – and life on this precious planet – safe from climate change. It is not convinced by increasingly verified scientific warnings, clear ethical guidance, the availability of ever-cheaper clean technologies, not even shifts in popular opinion. What has become clear is that a major block to legislated national climate action is that the major political parties are captured by corporate interests.
Much has been written now on the influence of corporate donors and the “revolving door” between politics and corporate power brokers. Examples are Big Coal: Australia’s Dirtiest Habit, by Guy Pearse, David McKnight and Bob Burton, and Games of Mates: How Favours Bleed the Nation, by Cameron K. Murray and Paul Frijters. Instances of unethical behaviour are frequently exposed by journalists. The ABC’s two-part factual series released in October 2021, Big Deal, communicates the basic issues to everyday Australians in an effective and entertaining way; and is readily available on iview: https://iview.abc.net.au/show/big-deal. This issue affects other matters of social justice too. Whether community organisations are working to combat climate change, to stand up for workers’ rights, to minimise gambling harm or to keep our gun control laws strong, we are facing the same problem: powerful and harmful industries are resisting regulation for the common good. Weak laws allow powerful industries and lobby groups to exploit democratic processes for their own financial gain. Even when exposed, there are rarely consequences for morally corrupt behaviour.
Australia lags far behind other jurisdictions when it comes to regulating political donations, election spending, lobbying and the spread of disinformation in elections. The proposal for a legislated Federal Integrity Commission has been part of the response, which the current government has delayed and attempted to weaken by proposing its own legislation – a toothless, opaque version of the original. After a long period of research and consultation across civil society, from grassroots organisations to academic experts, the Fair Democracy Network has created this Framework for a Fair Democracy. The Framework can be endorsed by individuals as well as organisations. Of course, ARRCC has of endorsed it: https://www.ourdemocracy.com.au/the-framework/
Framework outline
1. Stamp out corruption
• Create a strong federal integrity commission
• Introduce an enforceable code of conduct for politicians
• Strengthen the institutions that keep the federal government in check
• Introduce a merit-based process for appointing government advisors
2. End cash for access
• Make lobbying transparent
• Stop ministers moving into industry jobs
• Ban corrupting political donations
• Shine a light on secret donations
3. Level the playing field in election debates
• Stop corporations from spending millions on campaigning against regulation
• Limit political party spending on election ads
• Introduce standards of honesty in election campaigns
ARRCC Is very grateful to our colleagues in ACF, the Human Rights Law Centre and the Australian Democracy Network for taking the lead in this important work.
Up-date 16 February, 2022 #OurDemocracy. The Australian Democracy Network launched a report Confronting State Capture: how corporations have eroded our democracy, and what we can do about it. It breaks down six modes of influence used in state capture, and explores two case studies in detail. It sets out four recommendations on how to confront state capture. It explains what’s stopping progress on the biggest issues of our time. You can download the full report at our website, as well as a 2 page summary: https://australiandemocracy.org.au/statecapture If you’d like to view the joint briefing with Human Rights Law Centre, you can find watch a recording here.