Last night in Canberra, FreedomFFS sponsored a table at the inaugural Punters Politics “Political Fundraiser” — an event designed to amplify the voices of ordinary Australians. These are the voices too often ignored in favour of the vast sums of money and influence flowing to politicians from paid lobbyists.
Independent Senator David Pocock and others joined the event to reinforce a core demand: greater transparency in political access. Pocock has called for a public register of parliamentary access passes sponsored by MPs and senators. At present, around 2,000 “orange-pass” holders enjoy largely unrestricted access to politicians inside Parliament House. Meanwhile, studies reveal that only about 20 per cent of lobbyists are formally registered, despite major industry groups funnelling tens of millions of dollars into lobbying efforts each year.
Punters Politics has long been one of the few independent voices consistently exposing the massive lobbyist presence in Canberra and the billions in untaxed profits earned by multinational energy corporations operating in Australia — issues that shape public policy while everyday citizens are left unheard.
Konrad Benjamin, the host of Punters Politics, does a great job using humour to help everyday Aussies understand — and challenge — how political donations, taxes and influence networks affect decision-making. His work helps Australians see how to hold their representatives to account. We applaud these ongoing efforts to create fairer, more transparent governance in Australia.
Photos: Cass and MJ had an interesting chat with Konrad from Punters Politics about tax in Australia. (Note: any implied bribery below is purely comedic — no favours have been granted… so far.)
