When Donation Caps Collapse: Australia's Cautionary Tale

As the UK government debates whether to cap political donations it is worth looking to Australia, which has spent more than a decade trying, and often failing, to do the same. Recently, the country’s highest court struck down the state of Victoria’s donation caps for containing a loophole that advantaged the major parties – taking the entire political finance regime down with it. The lesson to draw is not that caps are doomed to fail, but that the intent behind their design will determine their legality, legitimacy and legacy.