Labor proposes Tasmanian election spending caps

Tasmanian Labor has proposed imposing spending caps for state elections, aiming to limit how much parties and candidates can spend. Under the proposed bill, parties could spend up to $50,000 per candidate, while independents would be capped at $60,000. The upper house and local government elections in Tasmania already have spending limits.

Tasmanian Labor leader Josh Willie described the reform as a "guardrail" against corporate capture, hoping to debate the bill in the lower house by the end of the year. The party plans to limit spending on advertising costs, consulting fees, opinion polling, gifts in kind, and administration expenses. Violations of the cap would result in fines and potential criminal charges.

The proposed reforms seek to create a level playing field, preventing big money from influencing elections.