Nationals open to tobacco donations

Dan Harrison
February 5, 2014
The Age
The Abbott government will not be free of tobacco funding, despite a ban on tobacco donations to the Liberal Party, because its junior Coalition partner will continue to accept money from cigarette makers.
In August, Tony Abbott announced he had ordered the Liberal Party to stop accepting cash from big tobacco, in response to Kevin Rudd’s election promise to ban political donations by the industry.
But the Nationals’ federal director, Scott Mitchell, confirmed on Tuesday it was still open to tobacco donations. ”Our position has been that it’s a legal product, they’re legitimate businesses,” Mr Mitchell said. ”Like all other parties we accept money from a broad range of organisations and individuals.”
Returns lodged with the Australian Electoral Commission show the Nationals have received at least $350,000 from tobacco companies over the past decade. In 2012-13 it received more than $25,000 from cigarette maker Philip Morris.
Cabinet includes three members of the Nationals: Deputy Prime Minister Warren Truss, Agriculture Minister Barnaby Joyce and Indigenous Affairs Minister Nigel Scullion. The Nationals’ deputy Senate leader, Fiona Nash, is Assistant Minister for Health, with responsibility for tobacco policy.
Mike Daube, the president of the Australian Council on Smoking and Health, said Senator Nash had a ”clear conflict of interest” and should not be involved in decisions on tobacco policy.