The Australian Greens will introduce legislation to end backroom preference deals and enhance the democratic process by returning to voters the power to control their Senate preference flow. 

“The experience with parties’ Senate group voting tickets in this election has again underlined the need to put preference decisions back in the hands of voters," Greens democracy spokesperson Senator Lee Rhiannon said.

“The Greens support Optional Preferential Above-The-Line Voting to strengthen the democratic system. 

Greens democracy spokesperson Senator Lee Rhiannon renewed her party’s call for an Office of the Commission of Lobbying following news that a lobbyist company under a cloud over its activities in NSW is running the Liberal’s Reid campaign in western Sydney.

“The involvement of lobbyist firm 1st State in an election campaign is a bad look for the Liberals,” Senator Rhiannon said.

“1st State owner Joe Tannous has publicly stated that his Liberal position can gain ‘results’ for clients in NSW.

Commenting on today’s announcements from Labor and the Coalition on political donations from tobacco companies, Greens democracy spokesperson Senator Lee Rhiannon has renewed calls for legislative changes to include bans on political donations from all for-profit organisations. 

 Responding to the Australian National University’s “Attitudes to Electoral Reform” poll released today, Greens democracy spokesperson Senator Lee Rhiannon said:

 “This poll shows that the policies of Labor and the Coalition are at odds with the attitudes of Australian citizens.

Australian Greens democracy spokesperson Senator Lee Rhiannon has called for Labor and the Coalition to commit to legislating to ban corporate donations to political parties and to voluntarily disclose online all political donations over $1000 donated in the current election.

Australian Greens democracy spokesperson Senator Lee Rhiannon today welcomed the Hawke report  on freedom of information laws and called on the Attorney General Mark Dreyfus to honour his stated commitment “to openness and access to government information” by committing to stronger FOI laws. 

“The Hawke Review is an embarrassment for the government as it highlights how far Labor has moved away from strengthening public scrutiny of the work of parliament and parliamentarians and the use of public money for these activities,” Senator Rhiannon said. 

The Australian Greens said that as we mark 113 years of the Australian Constitution today it is important to acknowledge the need to ensure that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and Local Government are finally recognised in our Constitution.

While welcoming the final passing of the laws to set up the Referendum for constitutional recognition of local government, Greens local government spokesperson Senator Lee Rhiannon has accused the Coalition of running a spoiler campaign to undermine the chances of the Referendum passing.

"Last night's split in the Coalition vote shows that Abbott is a wolf in sheep's clothing on the Referendum for constitutional recognition of local government," Senator Rhiannon said.

Labor and Coalition MPs united in the Senate late last night to increase secrecy around MPs expenses and the workings of parliament by rejecting Greens' amendments and voting in favour of a bill to exempt parliament from the scrutiny of freedom of information (FOI).

The Parliamentary Service Amendment (FOI) Bill will shield the Senate, House of Representatives and Parliamentary Services Department from the FOI Act completely and retrospectively.

Senator Rhiannon spoke to members of the media at the Senate doors on Wednesday 19 June 2013 about freedom of information legislation and the upcoming referendum on recognition of local government.