NSW Government To Outlaw Political Donations From Clubs With Pokies

Venues with pokie machines across NSW will soon be banned from making political donations. 

The newly elected Labor government will introduce the law to the state parliament on Thursday.  

If the proposal passes, the current Electoral Funding Act 2018 will extend the “prohibited donors” definition to include registered clubs if the club business is related to wagering, betting or other gambling, regardless of their profit-making status. 

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NSW Premier Chris Minns said: “Our bill closes a political loophole.” 

“It is common sense that if other gambling entities are banned from making political donations, it should apply to all clubs. 

“This bill is an important integrity measure to strengthening the political donation system in our state.” 

He hopes to attract support from across the parliament for this overdue reform. 

Under the current legislation, it is unlawful for a prohibited donor to make a political donation and for a person to accept a political donation made by a prohibited donor. 

Prohibited donors include property developers, tobacco industry business entities and liquor or gambling industry business entities. 

The Labor government promised to ban such donations in the lead-up to the March election. 

NSW Special Minister of State John Graham said that people were witnessing more election commitment come through. 

“From January 16 this year, NSW Labor took action to not accept donations from clubs with gaming machines. This bill will extend that ban to every state political party.”

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