Election donations reform shelved after talks with Coalition reach an impasse ahead of Senate 'D-day'

Labor's election finance reforms have been deferred indefinitely after an eleventh hour breakdown in negotiations with the Coalition on the eve of the last day of the parliamentary year. The ABC reported on Wednesday night there had been a last minute impasse, with sources close to negotiations saying the opposition had raised concerns with the government's proposal to limit election donations and spending, which some regarded as a tactic to drag talks beyond the end of the week. Finance Minister Katy Gallagher confirmed on Radio National the electoral reform bill would not proceed this year, and the government would instead spend the summer trying to strike a deal with the crossbench. Both men would stand to have their political activities curtailed by Labor's full proposal, which would limit any one donor to $600,000 per election, and cap spending at $90 million nationwide for political parties and $800,000 per seat for any candidate. Fate of three dozen bills to be decided on Senate's 'judgement day' The electoral reform bill was one of three dozen bills the government plans to put to a vote on Thursday, in what could be the last sitting before the election if Anthony Albanese heads to the polls in February or March.