Can you help with our case against the ECQ?

Dear

In Queensland we have a universal franchise for those over 18, or should that be we had?

If you read my last email you would know that the AIP is going to the Supreme Court to get a declaration against a ruling by the Electoral Commission of Queensland. That ruling is that we cannot accept donations (which includes payments to attend functions) from “prohibited donors”.

If that ruling stands it won't just affect engaging with us. It would mean that many people involved in property development will be excluded from engaging with the volunteer organisations that are so important to our democracy.

So the universal franchise wouldn't really mean much.

Who is a prohibited donor?

That is a good question, and broadly speaking means someone involved in property development.

But it’s a bit more complicated than that.

I’m writing to you to ask you a favour. We need to find out who of our supporters is a “prohibited donor”, and also what other sorts of organisations they support.

It will enable us to minimise risk to you and to us, but also to demonstrate how foolish this legislation is by showing how many worthy organisations “prohibited donors” support, and the damage this interpretation could do to the finances of those organisations.

I’ve put a short (3 minute) survey up on SurveyMonkey at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/electoralact. Would you mind filling it in? It lists the criteria that might make you a “prohibited donor”, so if there is any possibility that you are, please take the time to complete it.

Thanks in anticipation.

Regards,

Graham Young
Executive Director