Top ALP officials were advised to offer help to companies when they sought funds before election campaigns, according to documents obtained by üThe Canberra Times@ yesterday.
The documents also show how lobbyists successfully watered down anti-tobacco health proposals using tactics that “”would make interesting reading in book form”.
The documents, mainly in the form of card indexes, show details of ALP approaches to major companies before the 1980, 1983 and 1987 elections. The indexes were kept by lobbyist and ALP fund-raiser Charles Wright.
Mr Wright was appointed chair of the ACT Tourism Advisory Board earlier this year. The appointment was attacked by the Opposition in the ACT Legislative Assembly last week. Liberal MLAs cited his directorship of a company that went into receivership owing group tax and the Government and his mention in the WA Inc Royal Commission as being a conduit for former Premier Brian Burke to pay Mr Burke’s former secretary Brenda Brush $80,000.
His advice was to leading ALP federal office holders and other fund-collectors who were to approach major companies.
On James Hardie Industries, Mr Wright noted: “”Very sensitive on the health side of asbestos . . . If we approach the asbestos matter carefully we could possibly collect a larger donation.”
On L. J. Hooker he suggested that “”to mention that their size contributions in the past do not compare with similar size companies in their industry might do the trick”. On Lend Lease he noted: “”I would hope we could do something for this company, if we could a larger donation would be forthcoming.”
On Australian Motor Industries he wrote: “”Our proposed petrol policy should please them and I suggest you go for a donation of $5000.”
On Comalco, Mr Wright noted to the collector (usually a the federal secretary of other party functionary): “”This company may well give a larger donation if you were to suggest a meeting with Wran, and for him to collect the cheque. One would hope that they wouldn’t dare give Wran $1500. I am sure they would make it larger.”
he noted the managing director of one company was also a director of AMP and suggested he be lobbied to get AMP to change its no-donation policy.
On uranium producer EZ Industries he wrote before the 1980 election: “”This one has got to be handled very carefully because they will give a donation if we do sq(handle them carefully). They gave us money at the 1975 election ($5000 I think) also the Research and Public Relations Unit, and $250 at the last state election. If they are convinced Hayden could win, that will ensure a donation because they will pay some insurance. Also, if you can convince them that we are not all Tom Urens and put forward a sensible approach (to them anyway) on the uranium issue we could get a donation. sq(George) Mackay’s very words to me at the last Federal election was why should they give us money with our current policy on uranium mining.
He noted that when Sir Roderick Carnegie came on to several company boards the company adopted a no-donations policy shortly afterwards.
Mr Wright was also a lobbyist for the tobacco company Philip Morris. He wrote reports to them about politics and tobacco issues.
In 1986 he noted that tobacco companies were always able to lobby successfully to have every anti-tobacco idea watered down because it had the best professionals in the business.
Mr Wright also supported mining chief Charles Copeman in his fight against union work practices at Robe River, saying many federal Labor MPs also supported Mr Copeman.
On tobacco-health issues Mr Wright said, “”I am sure it would make interesting reading in book form if we were able to document our tactics on every issue that we had to fight governments on over the last few years.
“”It does not hurt, I believe, to just reflect what we have all had to contend with and what we have achieved. Naturally it would have been much more acceptable had there been no warnings on packets, as I noticed when I was in Papua New Guinea recently. It would have been preferable also to be able to advertise on television etc, but with the growing health-kick syndrome which has developed almost world-wide over the last 10 years I think we have done remarkably well.
“”It is a continuing frustration to the anti-smoking lobby that every time they put up an idea, radical or otherwise, the industry along with its professional advice and political support is able to have the matter watered down at all times.”
Records kept by Mr Wright show that Philip Morris gave the ALP $5000 for the 1980 election and $6000 for 1983. Mr Wright noted: “”We need to get closer I am sure the rewards will be forthcoming.
Another tobacco company, Amatil, gave $5000 to the ALP for the 1980 election; $60,000 for 1983.
In the same report, Mr Wright said that he and many federal Labor MPs supported Charles Copeman’s assault on inefficient work practices at the Robe River mine.
“”I personally, along with many Labor politicians in Canberra support in essence what Charles Copeman is trying to do, particularly in relation to work practices, which we all know are rife with this particular mining operation in the Pilbara. If this industrial dispute has done anything to highlight the outrageous work practices that have developed of late, then I say that it has all been worthwhile. . . . Copeman has shown that if you take the unions head-on, particularly the unreasonable ones, you can achieve some real benefits in the end. . . . Suddenly the climate is different and the unions don’t like it. I say, we live in a democratic society so why shouldn’t a company of any other organisation for that matter, stand up to a union if they feel it necessary.
“”One might say I am a bit one-sided on this issue and seemingly not in time with what would be seen as traditionally Labor. That may well be true, but I know I speak for a number of people who get most annoyed when unions hit companies with a ridiculous log of claims, and strike to achieve their ends. It is just nice to “see the boot on the other foot’ for a change.”
Mr Wright explained that he saw the emergence of the New Right in the lead up to the 1987 election as a “”gift that has just fallen off the back of a truck”. He thought that Labor could paint the New Right as a force that would abolish Medicare, fringe-benefits and capital-gains tax and redistribute wealth from those who needed it both. however, he thought the ACTU would have to go easy, lest the New Right succeed in a campaign based on the theme that the unions were too powerful.
On political donations, Mr Wright’s records noted that Mayne Nickless was under a new administration and “”the party needs to get close to this company, I think it will be worth it”. However, the company had rebuffed approaches for donations.
On David Syme, publisher of üThe Age, he said it had not made a donation to his knowledge but “”would seem sympathetic, and I believe needs a little encouragement. Kerry Packer’s Australian Consolidated Press gave $10,000 in 1980, according to Mr Wright, but nothing in 1983. “”Obviously very able to provide us with a donation and I suspect a good one also.”
On Fairfax he wrote: “”Always seems sympathetic and helpful but unlikely ever to give a donation. On the other hand he sq(James Fairfax) generally wants to help in some way particularly around election time.
He noted the ALP was always well received by Tooheys Ltd. He noted donations totalling $50,000 in the past and that the ALP should get $10,000 for the 1987 election.
Mr Wright’s records do not show all donations because some companies give directly to individual campaigns or directly to state organisations. He noted some companies had policies of no donations to political parties.
He noted that Rothmans had given money to several named top politicians’ campaigns directly.
His records show that TNT, then headed by Sir Peter Abeles, might have seemed more sympathetic to Labor from news stories, “”it would seem their support to the conservatives has been somewhat larger”.
Tooths and Co “”has nearly always given a donation when asked. They do, as Mr Alice will probably tell you, give the same amount to the other side as well.
BHP had not given in 1980 or 1983. “”Above politics”.
CSR had given nothing after many years of trying, and Labor had got nowhere with Esso.
On the banks he noted: “”Almost every bank does not donate to our party mainly because of some old ideas which are still prevalent with some of the older bank officials on the issue of nationalisation.”
On Colgate-Palmolive he said managing director would not see him in the past and had never given to Labor.