Deputy Leader of the Canberra Liberals Jeremy Hanson has called for the Greens to pay back more than $180,000 in windfall profit they made from the 2020 ACT election due to a loophole in the law.

“According to published reports, the ACT Greens made a profit of $188,771 on the 2020 ACT election, at the expense of ACT taxpayers from public election funding,” said Mr Hanson.

“The ACT Greens have since opened a new campaign office in Braddon, saying they intend to use it ‘for the 2022 Federal Election…’

“This is not how electoral funding is intended to be used. It is provided to reduce the influence of big donors, not use ACT taxpayer money to fund federal campaigns.

“As a result, the ACT Electoral Commission recommended changing the law to limit the amount of public funding to ensure that the amount received does not exceed the amount of electoral expenditure incurred.

“Even ACT Labor recognises the problem, stating that funding, ‘was never intended as a means for parties or candidates to make a profit.’

The JACS Committee recommended that the Electoral Act be amended to limit the amount of public funding to not exceed the amount of electoral expenditure incurred.

“For all their moralising, the party profiteering off ACT taxpayers are the ACT Greens. I am calling for them to pay the profit back, and for the law to be changed to prevent anyone from profiteering again.

“That is what the community expects, and what the Greens should do,” concluded Mr Hanson.