Govt buffeted by electoral funding row The federal opposition is lying low while the Gillard government weathers a storm over electoral reforms which will deliver millions of dollars to political war chests. Key crossbenchers and the Australian Greens have rubbished Labor's deal with the coalition. It will provide parties and independents the equivalent of $1 for every vote they receive at a federal election over three years, on top of the millions they already receive from taxpayers for campaign funding. The changes also lower the threshold for the disclosure of private donations, from $12,000 to $5000 - despite Labor having campaigned for it to drop to $1000. Tasmanian independent Andrew Wilkie said the deal smacked of "financial self interest." He won't support the bill and will opt out of the scheme so he does not benefit financially. "So much for the public interest, and the disadvantaged ... (whom) the Labor Party claims to represent," Mr Wilkie said. So much too for the Liberal Party's budget emergency. NSW independent MP Tony Windsor said the measures helped the two political party "giants." "So they have this massive advantage over anybody else who wants to enter the playing field," he told reporters in Canberra. They're quite comfortable having both sides of the tennis court occasionally. But they don't want other players in the game. Another NSW independent MP, Rob Oakeshott, says there is an irony about the start date - April Fools' Day. Cabinet minister Anthony Albanese said the government had fought for but lost a vote on an earlier version of the reforms, including the $1000 threshold, in the Senate five years ago. Mr Albanese said the new laws would offer a "significant strengthening of transparency" and it had been achieved in a bipartisan way - which was important for electoral reform. He saw nothing unusual in the administration payments being backdated to April. Asked whether the ALP was going broke, he said, "No." Treasurer Wayne Swan said public funding of parties ensured that the political system was not "captured" by people with lots of money. Greens leader Christine Milne called for the plan to be dumped immediately. "The legislation is becoming a huge political distraction and will chew up much needed parliamentary time that should be spent on passing important reforms like Gonski (schools funding)," she said. Coalition MPs are mostly staying clear of the debate, with the few who have spoken reiterating that the plan has bipartisan support. But there are reports some coalition members are threatening to walk away form the deal or cross the floor. Liberal MP Russell Broadbent told the ABC some "are extremely concerned about this legislation." Mr Oakeshott continued his protest against the "cute deal" between the two major parties. So, Brian Lochnane-the Liberal Head Office boss, gets a copy of the political donation reform bill today - b4 all MP's. Absolutely disgraceful," he said on Twitter.