Prospective Nauru election candidates turn to crowdfunding

Transcript

Budding candidates for this year's election in Nauru are crowdfunding their campaign after the government hiked the fee from US$143 to $1,436.

18 candidates have filed an application in the Supreme Court to stop what they say is a cynical attempt by the government to hold on to power.

Mathew Batsiua, a suspended opposition MP, told Alex Perrottet there's no rationale for the increase, and he says most of the 18 applicants are new candidates who would make a fresh contribution.

MATHEW BATSIUA: It seems to be just a deterrent, to us the government is increasing fees to deter potential candidates from challenging so that's very undemocratic. So we've taken a stance against that, and moved this legal challenge now. But at the same time there seems to be renewed determination to fight this unfairness. For example out of the 18 respective candidates who are challenging these, only four of us are current MPs the rest are new candidates. So that's just a snapshot of the determination of people in Nauru to fight this unfairness. 

ALEX PERROTTET: Have you and the other applicants canvassed different options if the application doesn't succeed? Will there be some sort of fundraising efforts, to try and support some of these people in Nauru society that would like to run as a new MP?

MB: There's already those activities crowdfunding activities occurring now. New Candidates are fundraising selling food, selling stuff just to raise funds in preparation for the elections just in case the challenge doesn't succeed. We're focusing on winning the legal challenge, because we think there are some precedents in the regions that our courts can have a look at and refer to, so we are confident that our challenge will be successful. 

AP: Do you think people will see through this effort as a cynical one from the government do you think they'll want to punish the government at the ballot box? 

MB: Look I think there is a ground swell of momentum against the government I think the government has got its work cut out. There is a growing movement and there's new candidates that are openly opposing the government. So you know there's legal challenge involving 18 prospective candidates, a mixture of current MPs, and new candidates gives a snapshot of the relatives in the room -and that is there is a ground swell and momentum, against the government and the government should be very nervous.