An overseas donation to activist group GetUp was declared just days before new federal laws banning foreign political donations went into effect. This has attracted criticism from Special Minister of State Alex Hawke who calls the donation “deeply concerning.”
The left-leaning group had received an AU$95,000 ($68,600) donation from the European Climate Foundation (ECF) in December, just weeks before a law banning foreign political donations came into force on Jan. 1.Hawke, who oversees political donations, told The Australian, “Reports that certain political actors in Australia have sought to source foreign funds just days before the start date of this legislation taking effect, are deeply concerning.”
