戴夫·休斯表示，他将不再登上维州自由党活动的舞台，称该党认为让他出席可能会触犯该州的政治捐款法。
Dave Hughes says he will no longer be taking the stage at Victorian Liberal events, claiming the party decided having him on the bill could run afoul of the state’s political donation laws.
这位更广为人知的喜剧演员“休西”曾自称是工党的终身选民，但在今年5月的联邦预算出台后，他成为了该党的直言不讳的批评者。该预算包含了对负向扣税和资本利得税优惠的全面改革。此后，他在11月维州大选前一直为自由党助选。
The comedian, better known as Hughesy, once described himself as a lifelong Labor voter, but has become a vocal critic of the party following May’s federal budget, which included sweeping reforms to negative gearing and capital gain tax concessions. He has since been campaigning for the Liberals ahead of the November Victorian election.
这包括在8月16日于吉朗举行的自由党维州西部地区竞选启动仪式上担任主讲嘉宾——这是一场免费活动——以及两场筹款活动：9月10日为本特利候选人泰南·帕特举办的每人2500澳元的晚宴；以及9月16日与威廉斯顿候选人保罗·林德曼共同出席的30澳元“酒吧谈”活动。
This includes headlining the party’s western Victoria region campaign launch in Geelong – a free event held on 16 August – and two fundraisers: a $2,500-per-head dinner on 10 September for its Bentleigh candidate, Tynan Putt; and a $30 “Pub Talk” alongside the Williamstown candidate, Paul Lindemann, on 16 September.
休斯周二在其社交媒体账号发布的一段视频中表示，在向维州选举委员会（VEC）举报后，他不再能在该类活动中发言。“显然因为我通常收取的费用超过了捐款上限，”他说。
In a video posted to his social media accounts on Tuesday, Hughes said was no longer able to speak at such events after a report to the Victorian Electoral Commission (VEC). “Apparently because of what I would normally charge, that’s above the donation limit,” he said.
“我已经说过我不收取任何政治演讲费用，所以我不能再在自由党活动中演讲了。”在X平台上，休斯指控是维州工党向VEC投诉。然而，一位工党高层消息人士称他们未参与其中。《时代报》率先报道了此事，称投诉者是一名工党支持者。
“I’ve said I’m not taking any money for political speaking, so I can’t do any more talks at Liberal events.”On X, Hughes alleged that Victorian Labor had made the VEC complaint. However a senior Labor source said they were not involved. The Age, which first reported the story, reported that the complaint was made by a Labor supporter.
根据维州的捐款法，免费或以低于市场价值提供服务被视为实物政治捐款，受现金捐款相同规则约束，上限为5190澳元。
Under Victoria’s donation laws, providing a service for free or below market value is treated as an in-kind political donation and is subject to the same rules as cash donations, which are capped at $5,190.
VEC的捐款披露记录将实物服务与现金捐款一并列出。记录显示，喜剧演员兼绿党成员汤姆·巴拉德于3月出席了一场党内筹款活动，其服务价值被记录为1200澳元。
The VEC’s donations disclosure shows in-kind services alongside cash donations. It shows that comedian and Greens member Tom Ballard appeared at a party fundraiser in March, with the value of his service recorded as $1,200.
休斯声称，虽然工党拥有“庞大的工会运动作为后盾”，但大多数自由党候选人“背后没有资金支持”，正“和其他维州人一样艰难求生”。他说：“这就是我想伸出援手的原因。”
Hughes claimed while Labor had the “massive union movement behind them”, most Liberal candidates “don’t have money behind them” and were “struggling like every other Victorian”. “So that’s why I want to help them out,” he said.
维州选举委员会（VEC）的捐款数据显示，本财年自由党收到173,222澳元捐款，而工党收到775,264澳元。维州自由党已被联系置评。
The VEC donations shows the Liberals have received $173,222 in donations this financial year, compared to Labor’s $775,264. The Victorian Liberal party has been approached for comment.