Money

While it’s true that “money, it’s a gas,” as Roger Waters of Pink Floyd once wrote, the excessive influence of wealth in our political system is no laughing matter.

Have a cigar

Australia’s electoral system is in a state of disrepair due to the undue influence of money. The richer you are, the more say you will have in our political system. This includes wealthy organisations (including unions), corporations as well as individuals. These entities not only sway elections but also shape government policies to their advantage, expecting substantial returns on their “investment.”

The Dark Side of the Moon

The prevailing belief that voters decide elections is a fallacy. Money’s influence is far more pervasive:

• Corporate donations are strategic investments aimed at gaining access and protecting their interests.
• Political parties often shape their policies to appease their donors, as evidenced by the preferential treatment given to certain industries.
• The flow of “grey money” through the system, facilitated by loopholes in disclosure laws, obscures the true sources of funding.

Despite calls for reform, the major parties consistently find reasons to maintain the status quo.

Another Brick in the Wall

The current, prolonged election campaign exemplifies how money distorts our democracy. This extended period is fuelled by taxpayer-funded advertising, party donations, and a system that values style over substance. It’s a high-stakes game where the wealthiest players hold the advantage, their voices drowning out those of independents and grassroots movements. Abundant funds allow them to dominate the airwaves, billboards, and social media, while those without such resources struggle to be heard.

Wish You Were Here

To restore the integrity of our democracy, we must remove the excessive influence of money from politics. This can be achieved by:

• Capping political donations to prevent elections from becoming mere auctions, going further than what is already in place.
• Implementing real-time disclosure of all donations to ensure transparency.
• Banning corporate donations, as companies do not have the right to vote.
• Imposing strict spending caps to create a level playing field.
• Publicly funding elections to eliminate private money and ensure that candidates are chosen based on their ideas, not their budgets.

Comfortably Numb

Democracy should not be a marketplace where policies are sold to the highest bidder. Change is unlikely unless there is widespread public demand for it, but it’s time to acknowledge the reality: the system is rigged.

And it’s rigged against you.

If we fail to reform it, it’s our democracy that gets devalued.