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- New campaign finance laws in the ACT - from 29 November 2023
- Financial disclosure
- Financial disclosure returns - Annual returns
- 2022/2023 annual returns
- 2021/2022 annual returns
- 2020/2021 annual returns
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- 2018/2019 annual returns
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- 2014/2015 Annual Returns
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- 2004/2005 Annual Returns
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- 2002/2003 Annual Returns
- 2001/2002 Annual Returns
- 2000/2001 Annual Returns
- 1999/2000 Annual Returns
- 1998/1999 Annual Returns
- 1997/1998 Annual Returns
- 1996/1997 Annual Returns
- 1995/1996 Annual Returns
- 1994/1995 Annual Returns
- 1993/1994 Annual Returns
- 1995-1997 Donor annual returns
- Financial disclosure returns - election returns
- Financial disclosure returns - Gift returns
- 2023/2024 - Returns of gifts received of $1,000
- 2022/2023 - Returns of gifts received of $1,000
- 2021/2022 - Returns of gifts received of $1,000
- 2020/2021 - Returns of gifts received of $1,000
- 2019/2020 - Return of gifts received of $1000
- 2018/2019 - Returns of gifts received of $1,000
- 2017/2018 - Returns of gifts received of $1,000
- 2016/2017 - Returns of gifts received of $1,000 or more
- 2015/2016 - Returns of gifts received of $1,000 or more
- 2014/2015 - Returns of gifts received of $1,000 or more
- 2013/2014 - Returns of gifts received of $1,000 or more
- 2012/2013 - Returns of gifts received of $1,000 or more
- Financial disclosure returns - Annual returns
- Compliance
- Funding
- Prohibited donors
- Publications, FAQs and forms
- Glossary
Glossary
A gift that is made anonymously that is less than $1,000.
An entity that:
- is controlled by one or more parties or MLAs; or
- operates, completely or to a significant extent, for the benefit of one or more parties or MLAs.
The capped expenditure period commences on 1 January in an election year and ends on polling day for the election.
A close associate of a property developer is any of the following:
- a related body corporate;
- an officer of the corporation or a related body corporate;
- a person whose voting power in the corporation or a related body corporate is more than 20%;
- any domestic partner of a person mentioned in paragraph (b) or (c);
- if the corporation or a related body corporate is a stapled entity in relation to a stapled security—the other stapled entity in relation to the stapled security;
- if the corporation is a trustee, manager or responsible entity in relation to a trust—
- for a unit trust—a person who holds more than 20% of the units in the trust; or
- for a discretionary trust—a person who is a beneficiary of the trust;
- any other person or body prescribed by regulation.
The disclosure period for a candidate is the period beginning on the 31st day after the previous election, if the candidate contested that election, or if not, the earlier of the date:
- the candidate publicly announced he or she would be a candidate
- the date the candidate was endorsed or pre-selected; or
- the date the candidate is nominated as a candidate;
and ending on the 30th day after the relevant election.
The disclosure period for a third-party campaigner is the period beginning on the 31st day after the relevant election.
Electoral expenditure incurred in relation to the election falls within the following categories:
- broadcasting electoral advertisements (including production costs);
- publishing electoral advertisements in a news publication, including printed and electronic newspapers or periodicals (including production costs);
- displaying electoral advertisements at a theatre or other place of entertainment (including production costs);
- production of printed or electronic electoral matter requiring authorisation (for example, how-to-vote cards, posters, pamphlets and internet advertising);
- producing, broadcasting, publishing or distributing electoral matter, other than material included in any of the above (such as direct mailing, including printing and postage, business cards promoting candidacy, T-shirts, badges and buttons, pens, pencils and balloons);
- consultant’s or advertising agent’s fees in respect of services provided or material used relating to the election; and
- opinion polling and other electoral research undertaken to support the production of electoral matter included in any of the above.
- for a party grouping – the reporting agent of the party;
- for a non-party MLA – the MLA;
- for a non-party candidate grouping – the candidate;
- for a non-party prospective candidate grouping – the prospective candidate;
- for an associated entity – the entity’s financial controller; or
- for a third party campaigner:
- if the third party campaigner is an individual – the third party campaigner; or
- in any other case – the managing director (however described) of the third party campaigner.
A payment made by a person or organisation as a contribution, entry fee or other payment to entitle the person or another person to participate in or gain a benefit from a fundraising event, and includes an amount paid for:
- a ticket in a raffle; and
- an item at a fundraising auction; and
- a meal or beverage; and
- attending a conference, seminar or similar function.
A fundraising contribution of any amount is considered a gift.
An event, however described, where any part of the funds raised are retained by a political party, an MLA, an associated entity, a candidate, or a third party campaigner.
Gift means each of the following:
- a disposition of property made by a person or organisation to someone else, without consideration in money or money’s worth or with inadequate consideration;
- the provision of a service, other than volunteer labour, for no consideration or inadequate consideration; and
- the part of an annual subscription paid to a party for membership of the party that is more than $250.
A gift does not include:
- a disposition of property under a will;
- an annual subscription paid to a party for membership of the party that is $250 or less;
- a gift that is given to an individual in a private capacity for the individual’s private use and the individual does not use the gift solely or substantially for a purpose related to an election;
- affiliation fees paid to a party;
- compulsory levies paid to a party by a party’s elected representatives;
- administrative expenditure funding paid by the ACT Electoral Commission; or
- election funding paid by an electoral commission.
Non-party candidate grouping, for a candidate who is not a party candidate means:
- the candidate; and
- any other person who has incurred electoral expenditure with the authority of the candidate to support the candidate in contesting the election.
Non-party prospective candidate grouping, for a candidate who is not a party candidate means:
- the prospective candidate; and
- any other person who has incurred electoral expenditure with the authority of the prospective candidate to support the prospective candidate in contesting the election.
Party grouping for a registered party means:
- the party;
- an MLA for the party;
- a candidate for the party; and
- a prospective candidate for the party.
a. a corporation that carries on a business involving the residential or commercial development of land to sell or lease for profit; but
b. does not include the following:
- an incorporated association under the Associations Incorporation Act 1991;
- a corporation operated on a not-for-profit basis;
- a corporation declared by the Electoral Commission as not being a property developer;
- any other corporation prescribed by regulation.
Examples—subpar (ii)
- a company under the Corporations Act limited by guarantee that is prevented by its governing documents from distributing the company’s profits or assets to its share-holders
- a corporation registered with the Australian Charities and Not for profits Commission
A person who is yet to be declared as a candidate for an election by the Electoral Commissioner, but has:
- won preselection, or endorsement, to be a candidate for the party for an election;
- publicly announced that he or she intends to be a candidate for the election; or
- been nominated with the Electoral Commissioner to be a candidate for the election.
A person or organisation that incurs more than $1,000 in electoral expenditure in the disclosure period for an election, but does not include:
- a party, MLA, candidate, party grouping, non-party candidate grouping or non-party prospective candidate grouping;
- a broadcaster;
- a publisher of a news publication (except a publication published for, or for the benefit of, a party, MLA, candidate, party grouping, non-party candidate grouping or non-party prospective candidate grouping);
- a government agency; or
- the Legislative Assembly.