Money grab, even if a smaller party was created its very hard for them to get the vote numbers to do any damage to the major parties, people would be very hesitant to let a minor party into power. Id think its purely a money grab like everything else.
But it's not a money grab. Its a
Bond so the money is placed in Trust and is not available for anyone's use. Exactly the same as a rental bond when you rent a unit to live in.
I see the rules making it more difficult for a new party to start as a good thing. I do not mean I want anyone who wants to start a new party to be stopped from doing that. But by making it more difficult, it reduces the frivolous petty little micro one idea parties that have sprung up. Otherwise you have three blokes sitting at the pub, chip in $150 each and make up a party called the "Topless Barmaids Party". That's how easy it is now.
There's more than that required but this is for our state and federal
Parliamentary process. Do you really want that sort of level of commitment shown by a new party? Coming up with $3,000 is a small amount of money for a group of people who genuinely want to contribute to our parliamentary state of affairs. If you are unwilling or unable to stump up $3,000 you really are not committed to your party or idea to begin with.
As I say being able to be a part of our democratic process is vital, but we should ensure the party's who want to participate have a genuine commitment to their cause and are not simply a couple of mates who decided to have a lash.