The High Court decision will force political parties to come up with fairer solutions to issues of campaign financing, however, unless electors are vigilant, some of the deeper-seated problems may not be dealt with.
Money is a significant influence on the democratic process of contesting elections so it is vital that the public interest is not put aside for political advantage gained from donors with vested interests. To achieve this, federal must address the following:
- The quantum of funding. There are currently no restrictions on money raised and spent on election campaigns. This allows companies and individuals to advantage their interests.
- The sources of funding. Political donations made by organisations can only be justified if they are seeking special treatment by elected politicians and governments. This is contrary to the proper working of a democracy in which government decisions should reflect the interests of the electorate as a whole[h1] .
- The fairness of funds availability. Incumbents have a number of advantages over new entrants. They have offices and staff to support their campaign and can direct campaigns funds to particular electorates like those that are marginal. Small, emergent parties and independents are denied public funding unless they poll more than 4 percent of the vote in an electorate.
See below for ART policy on campaign finance reform.