I AM writing to express my grave concerns about the federal government’s proposed Electoral Legislation Amendment (Electoral Funding and Disclosure Reform) Bill 2017.

This bill will have a huge impact on civil society, forcing charities and grassroots organisations to join a government register and follow complex new rules or members could face 10 years in prison. Also, this bill only applies to civil society and allows corporations and the fossil fuel lobby to continue business as usual.

It is clear that this is not legislation that serves the interests of the Australian community.

To the contrary, it serves the vested interests of corporations and primarily aims to undermine our democratic right as citizens to protest destructive development ventures, and our duty to protect both people and place.

This proposed legislation intends to open the gates for corporate ventures that will see further and unfettered environmental destruction, the invasion of Indigenous and farming lands, a threat to our water limited water supplies, and significantly contribute to growing global warming dangers (to name but a few serious issues).

At the same time, it strategically intends to undermine our capacity and democratic right to challenge such inequities and iniquities.

It is a no-brainer that this pernicious attempt by the federal government to undermine our democratic right to protect and protest must be stopped.

Brian Spittles
Bedford Rd, Ardross