Australian national political donations: who gave to which party in 2007-2008

The Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) released the 2007-08 annual returns for political donations and expenditure this week.

Here is a brief breakdown:

Australian Labor Party [National] - 81 donations listed
Biggest donor Village Roadshow Limited at $205,000

Liberal Party of Australia [National] - 66 donors on record.
Largest donor Brickworks at $250,000

National Party of Australia [National] - 20 donations are recorded
Largest donor Hong Kong Kingson Investments at $250,000

Australian Greens [National] - 1 donation listed
Only donor Mr. Russell Thompson at $20,000

Family First [National] - 1 donor
Only donor Grocon Pty Ltd at $5,000

Christian Democratic Party [National] - 0 donors

In addition: the Business Council of Australia spent $2.3 million on political publication and broadcasting and the Australian Council of Trade Unions outlaid around $15.8 million across the spectrum.

AEC Search

• Party
• Party Group
• Donor
• Associated Entity
• Political Expenditure

Monsanto fruit?

From Animal Magic: or what happens when graphic artists get bored

* This post is part of North Coast Voices' effort to keep Monsanto's blog monitor (affectionately known as Mr. Monsanto) in long-term employment.

Australian senators' financial interests now online

Open Australia is in the process of putting all senators declared interests online at its website.
All senators can be found here. Just follow the links.
Starting with the "A"s and continuing downwards it is remarkable to see the number of senators declaring a laptop computer given to them by that notable 2008 corporate collapse ABC Pty Ltd.
It's also fascinating to see just how many senators appear to be living on their parliamentary income alone, like Senator Conroy who (from memory) states a mortgaged family home and a single savings bank account along with that ubiquitous laptop.
However, others like Senator Coonan give a gentle hint at cash investments, jewellery, antiques and a handful of 'freebies', while Senator Heffernan presents a fairly typical country MP profile of investments, shares in own and other companies, trusts, and land a little land and starry skies above.

Rudd's $42 billion Nation Building and Jobs Plan outlined

The Prime Minister announced today a second stimulus package which includes these key elements:

• Free ceiling insulation for around 2.7 million Australian homes
• Build or upgrade a building in every one of Australia’s 9,540 schools
• Build more than 20,000 new social and defence homes
• $950 one off cash payments to eligible families, single workers, students, drought effected farmers and others
• A temporary business investment tax break for small and general businesses buying eligible assets
• Significantly increase funding for local community infrastructure and local road projects

More offical detail can be found here.

Crickey has graphs showing which electorates will get the bulk of child and school related payments and funding at Kevvie Cash Rewards

Red face for Nationals Luke Hartsuyker over fuel prices

Despite a great deal of wasted ink, Nationals MP for Cowper Luke Hartsuyker just could not support his contention that the Rudd Government was wrecking all for North Coast motorists and businesses.

Federal Member for Cowper Luke Hartsuyker has slammed the country's Petrol Commissioner and Prime Minister Kevin Rudd for failing to help local motorists still forking out unnecessarily high prices for unleaded fuel.

First the Petrol Commissioner told him that the difference between Kempsey and city unleaded petrol average retail prices was only around 4 cents a litre for the second half of 2008.

Now according to The Land on Saturday:

The difference between city and country fuel prices is no reason for alarm, according to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC).
This is despite calls for a full investigation into the price gap by country MPs last week.
The ACCC says some country petrol prices last week were cheaper than Sydney and Melbourne prices.
ACCC commissioner and petrol spokesman, Joe Dimasi, visited Central Queensland last week to talk to angry country motorists and see for himself what was going on with petrol prices.
The visit followed a formal request from Nationals leader, Warren Truss, and Opposition spokesman for competition, Luke Hartsuyker, for the ACCC to thoroughly investigate the disparity between petrol and diesel prices, and city and country fuel prices.
Mr Truss said diesel was traditionally much cheaper than petrol, and its current high price was flowing through to the cost of transport and food.

It would appear the Mr. Hartsuyker is not beginning the year with any political flourish.

'Truffles' Turnbull's latest tack

Dear Voter,
I'm writing to let you know that Edward Gough Whitlam is alive and well and heading the country as Australian Prime Minister in 2009.
You may have been a little confused because his official biography doesn't mention him being a rather younger, chubby fellow hailing from Queensland.
But do not be fooled - the PM is really Gough after a clever makeover paid for by Unions Australia.
If Gough-in-disguise comes to your door asking for your vote it would be wise to have lots of garlic and holy water handy to ward him off.
Australia's economy depends on returning to government all those politicians who so enthusiastically supported a deregulated global financial system.
Julie, Joe and Tony join me in saying: Remember, greed is good for the nation.
Sincerely,

Malcolm Bligh Turnbull

P.S.
This letter was paid for by donations from my friends Bankers International and Big Business.

Storm Financial: if it looks too good to be true then it is

Storm is one of Australia's largest and fastest growing Financial Services firms. Our strength comes from providing services and advice, based on sound research, which integrate smoothly with your life goals and ambitions.
Investing successfully is about fulfilling your full financial potential; not about being constrained by the limits of your present position.
We take the confusion and complexity out of investing and provide free investor education so you can make informed choices to create the quality of life you desire.

So said Storm Financial (formerly Ozdaq Securities and Cassimatis Securities) in 2005.

Supposedly the principals now have to sell all after the company's financial collapse leaves them facing personal bankruptcy.

Though the media have been somewhat silent about another company Ignite Financial Systems & Research Pty Ltd (formerly Storm Financial Research and Ozdaq Research) apparently owned by Storm principals and rumoured to be operating in Victoria as well as in Queensland and, which has Storm Financial as a client.
It is not clear whether this firm has been protected from the financial meltdown or indeed if any of the other companies which appear to be associated with Storm are not at risk.

It has also been reported that the Financial Planners Association has terminated Storm's membership with some stern words.

Matters are likely to go from bad to worse for Storm clients, for besides having to meet horrendous margin calls it is possible that the Australian Tax Office may come calling about how various advisers structured their tax.

Legal action by former Storm clients against everyone they can think of may be the only way to stave off further loss/debt.
At last count their combined debt was estimated at $100 million.

Courtesy of The Wayback Machine here are website screen shots from October 2007 and January 2009.

Then...................

Now....................

Update:

• Emmanuel Cassimatis admits it was he who discussed with the Commonwealth Bank the fact that many Storm clients would be unable to meet margin calls, two weeks before the bank contacted these clients.
• Supreme Court freezes bank account linked to Storm Financial, 4 Februaury 2009