Last Friday, the Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters issued a report recommending a prohibition on donations from foreign corporations to Australian political parties.

This is an important step to reducing the influence of corporations on our elections. It recognises the risks of corporate donations and would reduce the amount of corporate money flowing to our political parties.

The report has the support of the Coalition, Labor, and the Greens. This is an important chance to win concrete improvements. Can you sign our petition to the committee chair, Liberal Senator Linda Reynolds, letting her know you support ending foreign political donations?

Let’s end foreign donations to political parties.

The report’s recommendations weren’t perfect. Ideally, we’d be limiting all corporate donations, not just foreign ones. The report also recommended limiting donations to non-partisan civil society groups - something that would weaken civil society and accountability.

But - this is still an opportunity. It’s rare to see such agreement around reforms to political donations. And ending foreign political donations to political parties would help to reduce corporate influence.

So it’s important to throw our weight behind the good parts of this report - while also making it clear that we are watching, and we’ll only support recommendations that help to reduce corporate control and strengthen people power.