Vote 2016: What is Parakeelia?

The Liberal Party will 'fully assist' any regulatory body with queries about Parakeelia, after calls for an urgent investigation into the Liberal-owned software company.

Parakeelia Signage Source: ABC Australia

Labor has called for an urgent investigation into data-base provider Parakeelia, after days of questioning about the flow of money from the company to the Liberal Party. Labor Leader Bill Shorten has accused the Liberal Party of running a "scam" and likened the database to a "Liberal Party washing machine." In a statement the Liberal Party denied that and said the party will "fully assist" with any investigations into the company.

What is Parakeelia?

Parakeelia Pty Ltd is wholly owned by the Liberal Party of Australia and is registered to the same office building as the party’s Canberra headquarters. It provides voter monitoring "Feedback" software to Coalition MPs, for which they pay $2500 a year. The MPs can pay with money from their own pockets or from a taxpayer-funded allowance for software.

Parakeelia is considered an entity of the Liberal Party, and is subject to the Australian Electoral Commission’s oversight. Fairfax Media reports Parakeelia has transferred more than $1 million into Liberal accounts in the past three years, becoming its second-biggest single source of income in 2014-15.

Why has Parakeelia become an election issue?

Federal Labor has called for an urgent investigation into Parakeelia with Mr Shorten telling reporters the community was becoming increasingly concerned about taxpayer dollars finding their way into Liberal coffers.

“This looks like a Liberal Party washing machine turning taxpayer dollars into Liberal Party profit,” Mr Shorten said in Perth.

Attorney-General George Brandis said Parakeelia was “completely above board,” and that all compliance obligations were being met, including disclosure under electoral laws.

“This is not a fundraising arm of the Liberal Party. It is a provider of software services, just as the Labor Party has a company,” he told ABC Radio.

The Senators and Members’ Entitlements allows for “software reimbursement,” where MPs can claim reimbursement from their office budget for “specific software, servicing, back-up and training.”

In a statement the Liberal Party said Parakeelia is run on a professional basis and is “independently audited and complies with the law.”

Does the Labor party have an equivalent?

Labor MPs have access to similar databases of voters and the issues they raise through the software firm Magenta Linas. Magenta Linas’ clients include unions, the WA government and BHP Biliton. Mr Shorten said Labor's arrangement is a purely commercial one, ruling out the possibility of his party paying money into Labor organisations from its software company. Mr Shorten said the use of software is a net cost for the party.

- with AAP