MEDIA RELEASE 13/9/07 Candidate to Return Electoral Funding to Community

Independent candidate for the seat of Gilmore, Of None, has pledged to donate his entitlements under the Public Funding of Elections Act to various community groups should he receive the required minimum of 4% of the primary vote in the South Coast seat.

Public Funding of Elections legislation means that when you cast your vote, the candidate or party next to whom you place the coveted number 1, known as your primary vote, will receive $2.05 from taxpayer’s funds. This idea was originally introduced as being a way of assisting the small parties and independents but Mr. None pointed to the Australian Electoral Commission’s figures for the 2004 election as evidence that the reality is that the two major parties get most of the funds. (see below)

Mr. None claims, " Voting is an act which transfers millions of dollars* from schools and hospitals and reimburses political parties for all those slick party ads we are about to become so sick of".

"The catch for us little guys is that funding only kicks in if the candidate receives a minimum of 4% of the primary vote. In the case of Gilmore this is about 3500 votes. That means, should I be so lucky, I will receive about $7000 which I am under no obligation to part with," he said.

"However the idea that I should make a ‘profit’ from being a candidate is repugnant to me, so I have pledged to give any excess, over and above expenses, to a variety of community groups starting with $2000 to the Nowra Youth Centre," he added.

Mr. None says he would welcome suggestions as to what to do with the other $3000 he may have to distribute and muses that whether or not he receives electoral funding, a vote for him will benefit the community.

"Should I not receive the 4% minimum required under the Act, the voter’s $2.05 stays with a hospital or school. Either way, voting 1 NONE, Of The Above, can be seen as a win-win for the community." he concluded.

* Total election public funding paid for the 2004 Federal election was $41,926,158.91. including Liberal Party $17,956,326.48 , Labor Party $16,710,043.43 , Australian Greens $3,316,702.48 , National Party $2,966,531.27 , Pauline Hanson $199,886.77 (source: Australian Electoral Commission)