MEDIA RELEASE FROM CRAIG INGRAM MP - MEMBER FOR GIPPSLAND EAST Issued: Wednesday, 18 October 2006

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Labor financially indebted to the “waste club”: Ingram

The Independent Member for Gippsland East, Craig Ingram, has called on the Bracks Government to cut its financial ties with an influential group of beverage and packaging industry manufacturers, who donate millions to political campaigns in Australia.

“This over reliance on large political donations is extremely unhealthy, and may explain why the Victorian Labor Government is extremely reluctant to implement a container deposit legalisation, such as the scheme which operates in South Australia,” Mr Ingram said.

“The big three packaging and beverage industry heavies – Lion Nathan, Pratt/Visy and Coca Cola Amital have donated over one million dollars to the Labor Party, as is declared on the Australian Electoral Commission website.

“This amount of money has clearly brought a large amount of influence, as the Bracks Government has constantly refused to implement the incredibly popular and successful CDL system.

“Obviously, the Bracks Government is more concerned about keeping these large donating companies happy than doing what the voting public want, or protecting the environment from the massive amounts of bottles and cans that litter our roadsides and other public places.

“With the Liberal Party coming on board and supporting CDL, the Labor Party is the only political group in Victoria still whistling to the waste club’s tune,” Mr Ingram concluded.