Glossary

Agent:

A registered political party, and its State or Territory branches, must appoint an agent by notice in writing to the AEC.  The agent is responsible for party funding and disclosure matters.  The Funding and Disclosure Handbook for Political Parties refers.

Associated entity:

An organisation that is either controlled by, or operates wholly or to a significant extent for the benefit of one or more registered political parties.  It includes companies holding assets for a political party, investment or trust funds, and fundraising organisations, groups and clubs.  The Funding and Disclosure Handbook for Associated Entities refers.

AEC

Australian Electoral Commission.

Deputy registered officer

A person, appointed in writing to the AEC by the registered officer of a party, with delegated power to sign nomination forms at federal elections.

Donor

A person or organisation other than a registered political party, an associated entity, a candidate or a Senate group who is under an obligation to furnish a disclosure return because they made a donation.  The Funding and Disclosure Handbook for Donors and Third Parties refers.

Election funding entitlement

The amount of public election funding payable to a political party based on the number (at least 4%) of formal first preference votes obtained by a candidate or Senate group at a Federal election.  The Funding and Disclosure Handbook for Political Parties refers.

Eligible political party

A political party that is a parliamentary party or has at least 500 members who are eligible to be enrolled on the Commonwealth electoral roll, and is established on the basis of a written constitution setting out the aims of the party.

Gazette

The Commonwealth Government Notices Gazette.

Member of a political party

A party member is a member of the party, or of a related political party who is entitled to enrolment on the Commonwealth electoral roll.

Non-Parliamentary party

A political party that does not have a member sitting in Parliament.  It must have at least 500 members all of whom are entitled to enrolment on the Commonwealth electoral roll and none of whom have been relied on by another party for registration purposes.

Parliamentary party

A registered political party that has at least one member who is a member of the Commonwealth Parliament.

Political party

An organisation whose objectives or activities include the promotion of the election to the Senate or the House of Representatives of endorsed candidates.  A political party may elect to be a registered political party.

Registered officer

The person registered with the AEC who has the authority to nominate candidates for a registered political party.  The appointed registered officer does not change until the AEC is formally notified of, and approves, a replacement.

Registered political party

A political party registered with the Australian Electoral Commission under Part XI of the Act:

• Registration with a State electoral office does not confer federal registration.
• State or Territory branches of a registered political party are treated as separate registered parties for the purposes of the funding and disclosure provisions of the Act.

Register of Political Parties

A public register maintained by the AEC containing details of registered political parties.

Related political parties

Political parties are related if one is part of another or both are parts of the same party e.g. a State branch of a Federal party, or two State branches.

Secretary

The person, under whatever title, responsible for the administration and correspondence of the party.

State branch

A branch or division of a registered political party organised on a State or Territory basis.  State branches are treated as separate parties for funding and disclosure purposes.

The Act

The Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918