Financial disclosure returns - election returns
Election return details
- 2020 election returns
- 2016 election returns
- 2012 election returns
- 2008 election returns
- 2004 election returns
- 2001 election returns
- 1998 election returns
- 1995 election returns
Overview of election return requirements
2016 election
| Return name | Categories of electoral expenditure | Total amount of gifts received | Total number of donors | Gifts totalling $1,000 or more1 | Total small anonymous gifts received2 | Electoral advertisements |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Election return of expenditure by a registered political party grouping3 | All transactions | |||||
| Election return of expenditure by an associated entity | All transactions | |||||
| Election return by a non-party candidate grouping | All transactions | All transactions | Total required | Defined details required | Total required | |
| Election return by a third-party campaigner5 | All transactions | All transactions | Total required | Defined details required | ||
| Election return by a broadcaster | Advertisement details required | |||||
| Election return by a publisher | Advertisement details required | |||||
| Donor election return6 |
1The requirement for all details of electoral expenditure in relation to 2016 ACT election to be paid from the ACT election account. Defined details of receipt of gifts are required also to be allocated into types of accounts. A cap on electoral expenditure of $60,000 per non-party MLA or non-party candidate, per third-party campaigner, and per candidate to a maximum of 17 for party groupings (with a maximum of 5 in each of Brindabella and Ginninderra, and 7 in Molonglo).
2Gifts/donations received over$1,000 or more from same person/organisation also required party grouping and non-party candidates grouping to disclose under regular disclosure requirement. Non-party candidates grouping required to include the gifts details in election return. Third-party campaigner reports gifts received in the election return only. Donation caps of no more than $10,000 in one financial year to an ACT political entity, for use on an ACT election, and gifts paid into the ACT election account may only be received from a person who is on the ACT electoral roll.
3Non-party candidate grouping is required to disclose total small anonymous gifts in election return. Party grouping, MLA, non-party candidate or associated entity is not permitted to accept an anonymous gift of $1,000 or more. Third party campaigners are not permitted to accept an anonymous gift of $1,000 or more.
4Elections return by registered political party grouping only disclosed electoral expenditure in the election returns. Defined details of gifts received over $1,000 or more from same person/organisation, total of receipts, debts and payments are reported in the party grouping’s annual return. Candidates within the party grouping are not required to submit election return.
5Third-party campaigner is a person or organisation that incurs more than $1,000 in electoral expenditure in a capped expenditure period (1/7/12 to end of polling day 20/10/12).
6Donors were not required to lodge election returns from the 2012 election.
2012 election
| Return name | Categories of electoral expenditure | Total amount of gifts received | Total number of donors | Gifts totalling $1,000 or more1 | Total small anonymous gifts received2 | Electoral advertisements |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Election return of expenditure by a registered political party grouping3 | All transactions | |||||
| Election return by a non-party candidate grouping | All transactions | All transactions | Total required | Defined details required | Total required | |
| Election return by a third-party campaigner5 | All transactions | All transactions | Total required | Defined details required | ||
| Election return by a broadcaster | Advertisement details required | |||||
| Election return by a publisher | Advertisement details required | |||||
| Donor election return6 |
1The requirement for all details of electoral expenditure in relation to 2012 ACT election to be paid from the ACT election account. Defined details of receipt of gifts are required also to be allocated into types of accounts. A cap on electoral expenditure of $60,000 per non-party MLA or non-party candidate, per third-party campaigner, and per candidate to a maximum of 17 for party groupings (with a maximum of 5 in each of Brindabella and Ginninderra, and 7 in Molonglo).
2Gifts/donations received over$1,000 or more from same person/organisation also required party grouping and non-party candidates grouping to disclose under regular disclosure requirement. Non-party candidates grouping required to include the gifts details in election return. Third-party campaigner reports gifts received in the election return only. Donation caps of no more than $10,000 in one financial year to an ACT political entity, for use on an ACT election, and gifts paid into the ACT election account may only be received from a person who is on the ACT electoral roll.
3Non-party candidate grouping is required to disclose total small anonymous gifts in election return. Party grouping, MLA, non-party candidate or associated entity is not permitted to accept an anonymous gift of $1,000 or more. Third party campaigners are not permitted to accept an anonymous gift of $1,000 or more.
4Elections return by registered political party grouping only disclosed electoral expenditure in the election returns. Defined details of gifts received over $1,000 or more from same person/organisation, total of receipts, debts and payments are reported in the party grouping’s annual return. Candidates within the party grouping are not required to submit election return.
5Third-party campaigner is a person or organisation that incurs more than $1,000 in electoral expenditure in a capped expenditure period (1/7/12 to end of polling day 20/10/12).
6Donors were not required to lodge election returns from the 2012 election.
2008 election
| Return name | Categories of electoral expenditure | Total amount of gifts received | Total number of donors | Details of individual donor/gifts | Electoral advertisements |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Election return of expenditure by a registered political party | All transactions | ||||
| Election return by a candidate7 | All transactions | All transactions | Total required | Defined details required | |
| Election return by a donor to candidates or specified bodies8 | Defined details required | ||||
| Election return of electoral expenditure by a third party9 | All transactions | ||||
| Election return of gifts received by a third party10 | Defined details required | ||||
| Election return by a broadcaster | Advertisement details required | ||||
| Election return by a publisher | Advertisement details required |
7Details of individual donors/gifts received by a candidate or specified body, received from any person or group of:
- $1,500 or more during the period from 16/11/04 to 30/6/08; and
- $1,000 or more during the period 16/11/04 to 17/11/08 if any gift was received on or after 1/7/08.
8Details of gifts disclosed where, during the period from 16/11/04 to 30/6/08, one donation was made of, or a number of donations were made totalling:
- $1,500 or more to the same candidate; or
- $1,500 or more to the same specified body; OR
Where, any donation was made after 1 July 2008 and during the period from 16/11/04 to 17/11/08, one donation was made of, or a number of donations were made totalling: -
- $1,000 or more to the same candidate; or
- $1,000 or more to the same specified body.
9Third party details of gifts covers gifts received during the period from 31 days after the previous Legislative Assembly election until 30 days after polling day for the current election (for 2008 election, the period is from 16/11/2004 to 18/11/2008), which were used to help fund election where one or more gifts, including gifts-in-kind, of $1,000 or more were received from a person or organisation and those donations where use in whole or in part to incur expenditure of $1,000 or more on the following:
- Publication by any means (including radio or television) of electoral matter;
- By any other means publicly expressing views on an issue in the election;
- Making a donation to a political party, MLA or associated entity;
- Making a donation to a candidate; or
- Making a donation to a person on the understanding that the person or another person will use either the whole or part of the donation for any of the purposes listed above.
10Third party is a person or organisation that incurs more than $1,000 in electoral expenditure, and received one or more gifts, including gifts-in-kind, of $1,000 or more were received from a person or organisation and those donations were used in whole or in part to incur expenditure of $1,000 or more in total on advertising, electoral matter, consultant fees and opinion polls.
2004 election
| Return name | Categories of electoral expenditure | Total amount of gifts received | Total number of donors | Details of individual donor/gifts11 | Electoral advertisements |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Registered political party election return of electoral expenditure | All transactions | ||||
| Election return by a non-party group | All transactions | All transactions | Total required | Defined details required | |
| Election return by a candidate | All transactions | All transactions | Total required | Defined details required | |
| Election return by a donor to candidates, non-party groups or specified bodies | Defined details required | ||||
| Election return of electoral expenditure by a third party12 | All transactions | ||||
| Election return of gifts received by a third party13 | Defined details required | ||||
| Election return by a broadcaster | Advertisement details required | ||||
| Election return by a publisher | Advertisement details required |
11Donors required to record the name, address, date and value of donations were made to the same registered political party, the same non-party group, or the same specified body, to which gifts totalling $1,500 or more were made during the period from 20/11/2001 to 16/11/2004 (31 days after the previous election until 30 days after polling day for the current election).
12Third party required to submit election return if electoral expenditure total is $1,500 or more incurred by, or on behalf of, the third party during the pre-election period from 10/9/2004 to 16/10/2004.
13Third party required to record name and address of each donor to which gifts totalling of $1,000 or more were received.
2001 election
| Return name | Categories of electoral expenditure | Total amount of gifts received | Total number of donors | Details of individual donor made/gifts received14 | Electoral advertisements |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Registered political party or ballot group election return of electoral expenditure15 | All transactions | ||||
| Election return by a non-party group | All transactions | All transactions | Total required | Defined details required | |
| Election return by a candidate | All transactions | All transactions | Total required | Defined details required | |
| Election return by a donor to candidates, non-party groups or specified bodies | Defined details required | ||||
| Election return of electoral expenditure by a third party16 | All transactions | ||||
| Election return of gifts received by a third party17 | Defined details required |
14All transactions including those less than $1,500 are to be reported in the electoral expenditure.
15Donors required to record the name, address, date and value of donations were made to the same registered political party, the same non-party group, or the same specified body, to which gifts totalling $1,500 or more were made during the period from 24/3/1998 to 19/11/2001 (31 days after the previous election until 30 days after polling day for the current election); and/or the name, address, date and value of each independent MLA/candidate to whom gifts totalling $200 or more were made during the period from 24/3/1998 to 19/11/2001. Non-party group required to record the name, address, date value of donations received from each donor to which gifts received totalling $,1500 or more during the period from 24/3/1998 to 19/11/2001. MLA/candidate required to record donor details of gifts totalling $200 or more were received.
16Third party required to submit election return if electoral expenditure total is $200 or more incurred by, or on behalf of, the third party during the pre-election period from 14/9/2001 to 20/10/2001.
17Third party required to record name and address of each donor to which gifts totalling of $1,000 or more were received. There was no election return of gifts received by a third party submitted for 2001 election.
1998 election
| Return name | Categories of electoral expenditure | Total donations | Total number of donors | Details of individual donor made/gifts received18 | Electoral advertisements |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Return of electoral expenditure by a political party following the Legislative Assembly election held on 21 February 1998 | All transactions | ||||
| Non-party group Election return | All transactions | All transactions | Total required | Defined details required | |
| Candidate election return | All transactions | All transactions | Total required | Defined details required | |
| Third party return of donations made to a candidate, non-party group or specified body held on 21 February 1998 | Defined details required | ||||
| Third party return of electoral expenditure held on 21 February 199819 | All transactions | ||||
| Election return of gifts received by a third party20 | Defined details required | ||||
| Election return by a broadcaster | Advertisement details required | ||||
| Election return by a publisher | Advertisement details required |
18Donors required to record the name, address, date and value of donations were made to the same registered political party, the same non-party group, or the same specified body, to which gifts totalling $1,500 or more were made during the period from 21/3/1995 to 23/3/1998 (31 days after the previous election until 30 days after polling day for the current election); and/or the name, address, date and value of each independent MLA/candidate to whom gifts totalling $200 or more were made during the period from 21/3/1995 to 23/3/1998. Non-party group, candidates required to record the name, address, date and value of each donation received, to which totalling $200 or more from whom donations were received.
19Third party required to submit election return if electoral expenditure total is $200 or more incurred by, or on behalf of, the third party during the pre-election period from 16/1/1998 to 21/02/1998.
20Third party required to record name and address of each donor to which gifts totalling of $1,000 or more were received and used in whole or in part to incur expenditure of $1,000 or more during 1998 election.
1995 election
| Return name | Detail of electoral expenditure incurred | Total donations | Total number of donors | Details of individual donor made/gifts received | Electoral advertisements |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Claim for election funding21 (a) Party (b) Candidate (c) Non-party group | All transactions | All transactions | Total required | Defined details required | |
| Return to be submitted on behalf of a Candidate | All transactions | All transactions | Total required | Defined details required | |
| Return of details of gifts made to political party, candidate or other person, by a person other than a registered political party, candidate or member of a group22 | Defined details required | ||||
| Return of electoral expenditure by a person incurring electoral expenditure in relation to an ACT Legislative Assembly election23 | All transactions | ||||
| Return of details of gifts received by a person incurring expenditure for an election purpose24 | Defined details required | ||||
| Election return by a broadcaster | Advertisement details required | ||||
| Election return by a publisher | Advertisement details required |
21For the 1995 election, registered political parties, candidates and non-party groups were required to lodge a claim for election funding entitlement. For all elections after 1995, election funding was paid based on votes received with no requirement to lodge a claim.
22Donors were required to record the name, address, date and value of donations made to the same registered political party, same person or the same specified body, to which gifts totalling $1,500 or more were made during the period from 17/3/1992 to 20/3/1995 (31 days after the previous election until 30 days after polling day for the current election); and/or the name, address, date and value of each candidate or members of non-party groups to whom gifts totalling $200 or more were made during the period from 17/3/1992 to 20/3/1995. Non-party group, candidates required to record the name, address, date and value of each donation received, to which totalling $200 or more from whom donations were received.
23Third party incurring electoral expenditure is called “Return of electoral expenditure by a person incurring electoral expenditure in relation to an ACT Legislative Assembly election”. Third party that used gifts received of $1,000 or more during 17/3/1992 to 20/3/1995, to incur electoral expenditure in whole or in part of the gifts total, is required to submit 1995 election return.
24Third party required to record name and address of each donor to which gifts totalling of $1,000 or more were received and used in whole or in part to incur expenditure of $1,000 or more during 17/3/1992 to 20/3/1995 for 1995 election purpose.
