Labor criticised for political donations

The news that property developers have donated more than $4 million to the Labor Party since Frank Sartor took control of large development applications provides damning evidence that the NSW government is too influenced by political donations, rather than governing in the best interests of the people.
Research by the Greens party found the biggest property developers paid more than $1 million to the Labor party while Sartor considered approving their developments across NSW. They are calling for a royal commission into the Government's approval process and donations.
Last week Greens MP Sylvia Hale introduced a bill making it illegal for political parties to accept donations from developers. It would make it illegal for any donor to put in a development application for a year after donating to a political party.
The Liberal party have called the property donations and subsequent approvals an “appalling” conflict of interest.
This comes after Premier Morris Iemma promised last month to ban all political donations, following the ICAC’s inquiry into bribes for development applications in Wollongong City Council. Iemma said the consultations on the donation reforms would take at least six months.
The Labor party has come under increasing criticism from other NSW political parties as well as from the NSW electorate for the political donations the Labor government receives from influential organisations such as the Australian Hotels Association (AHA). The AHA has donated enormously to the NSWS Labor government, creating a conflict of interest when the government recently ruled out extended trading hours for bars and hotels.
The Wollongong against Corruption group, formed in the wake of the Wollongong Council scandal, protested outside NSW Parliament House last week, calling for an end to donations to political parties.