POLITICAL DONATIONS TO THE GOVERNMENT
Will you still love me tomorrow? In the morning after the $300M Regional Forest Agreements party, Australia’s woodchippers answer with a resounding “no”.
Never a generous suitor, the woodchipping industry has now all but deserted Australia’s political parties. The Forest Products Association (FPA) has even dumped Fred Nile!
With twenty years of woodchipping safely in the RFA bag, they are virtually invisible on the latest list of political donors. Invisible, that is, except for the loggers union, the CFMEU.
Figures just released by the Australian Electoral Commission show the CFMEU is now among the biggest donors to the Labor Party and its forestry division is the biggest CFMEU contributor to Labor in Victoria and NSW.
This explains a thing or two in states where their Premiers continue to defy public opinion by subsidising clearfelling and woodchipping.
ALP NATIONAL
CFMEU (NSW) Mining and Energy Division, – Donation $200,000.00
AMCOR Ltd, Donation $25,000.00
NAFI – National Association Forest Industry, – Non Donation $5,000.00
ALP ACT
CFMEU (ACT) – Non Donation $6,187.67
ALP VIC
AMCOR Ltd – Donation $10,000.00
CFMEU Construction and General Division – Non Donation $74,128.60
CFMEU Engine Drivers and Fireman Division -. Non Donation $15,374.58
CFMEU Pulp and Paper Workers Branch- Non Donation $9,065.74
ALP NSW
CFMEU (NSW Energy District), – Non Donation $3,401.00
CFMEU – Forestry Division, – Non Donation $39,145.00
CFMEU – Forestry Division, – Non Donation $1,921.27
CFMEU Mining & Energy Division, – Non Donation $26,350.00
ALP WA
CFMEU – Non Donation $29,439.32
LIBERAL VIC
AMCOR Ltd, – Donation $10,000.00
LIBERAL NATIONAL
AMCOR Ltd – Donation $45,000.00
LIBERAL NSW
The Clean Green Energy Company Pty Ltd (Charcoal burner interests) – Non Donation $5,000.00
Check the AEC website at http://search.aec.gov.au/annual returns
(Non donation means an in-kind donation not direct cash but assistance of that value.)
Harriet Swift, Chipstop