Urgent overhaul needed for foreign activist donations

THE Queensland Resources Council has backed a Federal Government report calling for a ban on foreign-funded donations to activist groups.

One of the recommendations in the report on foreign donations, tabled in Federal Parliament today, was to extend a foreign donations ban to all other political activist groups. This would include preventing foreign funds being channelled through organisations engaging in political activities that were not subject to regulation under current laws.

QRC Chief Executive Ian Macfarlane said it was high time that donations to the anti-development activists were put under the microscope in line with other politically-motivated groups.

“Funding from overseas donors to these groups is disrupting and delaying job creating projects in Queensland, while providing a sophisticated tax reduction scheme to their personal wealth,” Mr Macfarlane said.

“Our country must stop foreign groups interfering in our resources development projects that have undergone immense scientific and social scrutiny before being approved by democratically elected governments in Australia.

“It seems ridiculous that someone living in Manhattan can be the financial backers of green activist tactics that hold up a project in Moranbah and cost Queenslanders job opportunities.”

www.qrc.org.au

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