Today I joined Greens Senator Kerry Nettle and NSW MLC John Kaye outside the Establishment in Sydney where the Liberal Party were holding a $1,200 / head fundraising lunch.

The lunch was hosted by the Minister for Aging, Chris Pyne who recently polled as the most unpopular minister in a very unpopular government - quite an achievement.

Political donations undermine our democracy and raise genuine concerns about exactly who our MP's represent. Do they represent us, the voters or the corporate interests who bankroll their political parties?

Kerry had this to say:

"There is growing public disquiet about the millions of dollars political parties receive to run their election campaigns particularly from tobacco companies.

"The Liberal Party should donate the over $1 million dollars they've received from tobacco companies to cancer research," Senator Nettle said.

"Today's $1200 a head lunch hosted by Christopher Pyne excludes all but the top end of town from gaining access to the Howard Government", Senator Nettle said.

I'd like to see my local Liberal MP, Bronwyn Bishop, demonstrate her commitment to the people of Mackellar by giving her share of those tobacco donations to cancer research.