Mr Abbott still can't kick the habit
Nicola Roxon
posted Wednesday, 1 February 2012
Attorney-General Nicola Roxon today called on Tony Abbott to begin the Parliamentary year with a statement to Parliament that the Liberal Party will, once and for all, stop accepting donations from big tobacco.
The Attorney’s call comes as new figures released today by the Australian Electoral Commission show that big tobacco has invested around $16 million to influence Canberra since Labor stopped accepting political donations in 2004.
“Tony Abbott is continuing to thumb his nose at the Australian people and accept big donations from big tobacco,” Ms Roxon said.
“I’m calling on Mr Abbott to make a statement to the Parliament on Tuesday, the first sitting day of 2012, declaring that he’s opposed to big donations from big tobacco."
By British American Tobacco’s own admission, they only donate to the Liberal party to influence Liberal Party policy.
“We have a clear policy and compliance procedures on political donations…
“Such payments can only be made for the purpose of influencing affecting the company or Group,”
- British American Tobacco website
According to AEC statistics, in 2010-11, the Liberal and National parties amassed $263,000 in donations from British America Tobacco Australia and Phillip Morris in 2010-11. In total, since 2004, big tobacco has donated $1.97m to the Liberal and National parties.
Staggeringly, last year’s total political expenditure from big tobacco to over $14m to try and fight the Gillard Government’s world leading plain packaging of tobacco products initiative.
“It’s clear that big tobacco spared no expense in trying to stop the Gillard Government’s world leading plain packaging of tobacco laws. But the Parliament nevertheless went ahead and did what was right,” Attorney-General Nicola Roxon said.
“With this excessive amount of money being used to try and buy influence, it is time for Mr Abbott to start this Parliamentary year with a statement that the Liberal Party will, once and for all, stop accepting donations from big tobacco.”
Tags: Health, Plain Packaging, smoking