Independents To Force Action On Gambling, Lobbying Laws
Independents are pressing hot-button problems such as prohibiting gambling advertisements, opening ministerial journals to the public and curbing the influence of political lobbyists.
Crossbenchers have actually outlined a list of crucial concerns if they're re-elected into a hung parliament, informing an openness online forum they'll force the federal government to act upon the mostly unblemished issues.
Reforming lobbying, allowing the national anti-corruption commission to hold public hearings, developing a whistleblower security authority and having truth in laws are amongst the targets for crossbench MPs.
This included Allegra Spender, Zali Steggall, Monique Ryan, Andrew Wilkie, Kate Chaney and Senator David Pocock.
Ms Steggall indicated consumer securities against misleading and deceptive advertisements, comparing it with no truth in political advertising laws.
"It's like we do not value our voting rights the very same method as we value our customer rights," she stated.
Senator Pocock called lobbying laws "an outright joke", stating 80 per cent of lobbyists weren't covered by the code of conduct and there were no genuine charges for misbehavior.
The senator and Dr Ryan have pressed in parliament for laws that would open ministerial journals so the public can learn about ministers meeting lobbyists.
Ms Spender also called a total restriction on betting ads after Labor shelved strategies to take action.
"This is a contest between vested interests who are winning to date, versus neighborhood interests who know that this needs to be prohibited and I will combat for that," she said.
Ms Spender is also combating the Australian Electoral Commission for more openness over its findings that one individual was responsible for sending some 47,000 unauthorised pamphlets targeting her in her electorate of Wentworth.
The commission said the individual acted alone, had no link to a political celebration or candidates objecting to the seat and it was considering whether to promote civil charges for breaking electoral law after the May 3 election.
Ms Spender revealed concern about keeping the identity hidden, asking "how can citizens think about the source if the AEC will not determine that source", in reference to the laws requiring authorisation for openness purposes.