Restoring Trust in Democracy

A healthy democracy depends on the principle that every citizen has an equal voice in determining the future of the nation. Over time, concerns have grown about the influence of money, special interests, and professional political careers on the democratic process. This policy aims to strengthen public confidence in government by reducing the influence of wealth and vested interests while ensuring elected representatives remain accountable to the people they serve.

The core principle of this reform package is simple: political power should come from public support, not financial advantage.

1. Reforming Politician Salaries

Proposal:

Reduce the base salary of federal politicians to $70,000 per year.

Rationale:

Public office should be viewed primarily as a position of service rather than a pathway to personal enrichment. Excessively high political salaries can contribute to a perception that elected representatives are disconnected from the financial realities faced by ordinary citizens.

A salary of $70,000 remains above the earnings of many workers and provides a comfortable income while ensuring that those seeking office are motivated by a desire to contribute to the public good. By aligning political compensation more closely with the incomes of everyday Australians, representatives may be more likely to understand the challenges faced by working families, renters, small business owners, and retirees.

Expected Outcomes:

-Greater public confidence in elected officials.
-Reduced perception that politics is a career pursued for financial gain.
-Stronger connection between politicians and the economic realities of the communities they represent.
-Encouragement of a service-oriented political culture.

2. Equalising Political Donations

Proposal:

Limit political donations to a maximum of $100 per person, per political party, per election cycle.

Rationale:

Democracy is founded on the principle of political equality. While every citizen should have the right to support a political party they believe in, no individual should be able to exert disproportionate influence simply because they possess greater financial resources.

Under this proposal, political parties would be funded by broad community support rather than a small number of wealthy donors. A donation cap of $100 per person per party per election would still allow parties to raise substantial funds from supporters while preventing individuals from effectively purchasing privileged access or influence.

This approach encourages parties to engage with large numbers of citizens rather than focusing fundraising efforts on a handful of wealthy contributors.

Expected Outcomes:

-Greater equality in political participation.
-Reduced influence of wealthy individuals on public policy.
-Increased grassroots engagement and community involvement.
-Stronger public trust in electoral outcomes and political decision-making.

Transparency Measures:

All donations should be publicly disclosed in a timely and accessible manner. Citizens should be able to see who is funding political parties and how much support parties receive from the public.

3. Ending Corporate Influence in Political Funding

Proposal:

Prohibit donations from corporations, industry groups, and other non-individual entities.

Rationale:

Corporations are not voters and should not possess greater political influence than individual citizens. Allowing businesses and large organisations to make political donations creates the perception—and often the reality—that financial interests can gain privileged access to policymakers.

Political parties should be accountable to voters rather than shareholders, industry associations, or large commercial interests. By restricting political donations to individual citizens, the electoral system can better reflect the collective will of the population.

Expected Outcomes:

-Reduced risk of policy being shaped by corporate interests.
-Stronger focus on the needs of citizens rather than major donors.
-Increased confidence that government decisions are made in the public interest.
-More competitive and independent political debate.