The South Australian premier has announced a world-leading new set of laws that aim to ban donations to political parties, from organisations and individuals.
Peter Malinauskas today acknowledged that the changes may not be universally popular within his party, but said election campaigning had become "a playground for the rich".
"We should have a level playing field when it comes to the political process," he said.
"This is not in our political interests, right, there will be no shortage of people in my own party who will breathe a sigh of relief if this reform hits the fence."
Under the proposed legislation, registered parties and candidates would be subject to stricter regulations, including mandatory adherence to funding caps.
The government is also proposing a reduction in the amount of money that candidates can access for their campaigns.
To compensate for the reduction in private donations, taxpayers will contribute an additional $3 million to support political campaigns. This move aims to ensure that all parties have access to sufficient funding to effectively communicate their messages to the public.
The premier's announcement has sparked discussions about potential unintended consequences.
Opposition Spokesman John Gardner raised concerns that the reforms may simply shift the source of funding from donations to advertising by organisations or unions, promoting particular parties.
"I'd like to see how the premier will address the risk that this will just transfer that money," Gardner said.
The proposed legislation has also drawn attention to the broader issue of political donations at the Federal level. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese acknowledged that an inquiry is underway to examine the matter, highlighting the potential for similar reforms at the national level.
This article was produced with the assistance of9ExPress.
<img src="https://www.mtlblog.com/media-library/quebec-flag-fluttering-in-the-wind-in-front-of-a-blue-glass-building.jpg?id=61195362&width=1200&height=800&coordinates=132%2C0%2C132%2C0"/><br/><br/><p>If you live in Quebec and work full-time or part-time, you're probably already familiar with the <a href="https://www.mtlblog.com/quebec-stat-holidays-2025-calendar" target="_blank">usual statutory holidays</a> — New Year's Day, Saint-Jean-Baptiste, Christmas and so on. But the province's labour laws actually go further than just the basic statutory calendar.</p><p>Thanks to Quebec's <a href="http://legisquebec.gouv.qc.ca/en/showdoc/cs/n-1.1" target="_blank">Act respecting labour standards</a>, enforced by the Commission des normes, de l'équité, de la santé et de la sécurité du travail (<a href="https://www.cnesst.gouv.qc.ca/en" target="_blank">CNESST</a>), employees have the legal right to take time off for a wide range of life events, including family emergencies, caregiving, a miscarriage, even getting married or attending a sibling's wedding. Some of these days are paid, others aren't — but either way, your job is protected.</p><p>Many workers don't realize these protections exist, or assume they need to use up vacation days when life happens. In reality, these kinds of absences are already built into Quebec's labour code. The only requirement is that you inform your employer as soon as possible and provide documentation if requested (like a hospital note or wedding invite).</p><p>With that in mind, here are seven lesser-known personal leaves that Quebec workers can legally take — according to Quebec’s official labour standards and the Act Respecting Labour Standards.</p><h3>Getting married or attending a family wedding</h3><br/><p>If you get married or enter a civil union, you're entitled to one paid day off. If you're attending your child's, sibling's, or parent’s wedding or civil union, you can take one unpaid day off.</p><p>In any case, you must inform your employer at least one week in advance, and the day of absence cannot be postponed to a date after the marriage or civil union.</p><h3>Birth or adoption</h3><br/><p>You're entitled to five days off when your child is born or adopted. The first two days are paid, and the leave must be used within 15 days of the event. This applies to both <a href="https://www.mtlblog.com/quebec-family-allowance-july-2025" target="_blank">biological and adoptive parents</a>.</p><p>However, if a parent is already on maternity or paternity leave, they are not entitled to these five days.</p><h3>Family or caregiver leave</h3><br/><p>Every Quebec worker is entitled to 10 days per year to care for a family member or someone they support. You can take these in full or half days. The first two days must be paid if you've been with your employer for three months or more.</p><p>According to the <a href="https://www.cnesst.gouv.qc.ca/fr/definition/parent-0" target="_blank">CNESST</a>, these must be related to the care, health or education of one's child, the child of one's spouse, or the health of a parent or a person for whom one acts as a caregiver.</p><h3>Miscarriage or abortion</h3><br/><p>If it occurs before the 20th week of a pregnancy, you can take up to three weeks unpaid with proper documentation. After 20 weeks, you're eligible for up to 20 weeks of unpaid parental leave. If your partner was pregnant, you can also take five days off, two of which are paid.</p><h3>Death of a loved one</h3><br/><p>If your spouse, child, sibling, or parent passes away, you're allowed five days off, two of which must be paid. For other close relatives like grandparents, the law grants one unpaid day.</p><h3>Suicide of a close family member</h3><br/><p>You can take up to 104 weeks of unpaid leave if your spouse, child, or parent dies by suicide. This protection ensures job security during a long recovery period.</p><h3>Jury duty or being called to testify in court</h3><br/><p>If you're summoned to serve as a juror or to testify as a witness, your employer legally has to let you go — it's considered a civic duty in Quebec. While they're not required to pay you for the time you're away (unless it's written into a collective agreement), your job is protected and they can't fire or discipline you for missing work.</p><p>You may also be eligible for compensation from the government to help cover things like meals, lodging, or childcare while you're in court. </p><p><em>Love this? Check out our <a href="https://www.mtlblog.com/notices/" target="_blank">MTL Blog noticeboard</a> for details on jobs, benefits, travel info and more!</em></p><p><em>AI tools may have been used to support the creation or distribution of this content; however, it has been carefully edited and fact-checked by a member of MTL Blog's Editorial team. For more information on our use of AI, please visit our <a href="https://www.mtlblog.com/editorial-standards" target="_blank">Editorial Standards page</a>.</em></p>
