Let's not conflate these issues. The Liberals have not been forced to conduct these champagne and canapé events because the cancelled subsidy has deprived them of funds. Raising monies at the grass roots (electorate) level is a far different proposition than privileged access such as appears to be occurring in this instance. The key point was made by our PM himself when he specifically stated that “there should be no preferential access to government, or appearance of preferential access, accorded to individuals or organizations because they have made financial contributions to politicians and political parties.” Not everything can be explained away by references to the former government. The current government needs to be held accountable today to the standards to which it claims to aspire and indeed was, at least in part, elected on.