Election Funding

Entitlement to election funding: Registered political parties are entitled to election funding where their endorsed candidate or Senate group receives at least 4% of the formal first preference votes. Independent candidates and Senate groups are also entitled to election funding if they receive 4% of the vote.

Amount paid: The amount of election funding payable is calculated by multiplying the number of first preference votes received by the rate of payment applicable at the time. The rate set for the 2004 federal election was 194.397 cents per vote in either a House of Representatives or Senate election. The rate is indexed every six months in line with the Consumer Price Index. The current public funding rate.

Payment of election funding: Election funding is paid automatically as soon as possible after the 20th day following polling day. Any balance of entitlement will be paid following the conclusion of the count of votes.

Election disclosure

Election returns: candidates, unendorsed Senate groups and Senate groups endorsed by more than one registered political party must disclose gifts and electoral expenditure incurred.

Returns to the AEC must show:

• the total value of donations received, and the number of donors;
• for each gift received of more than the disclosure threshold:

the date on which each gift was received, the amount or value of the gift and the name and address of the donor. (Personal gifts such as Christmas and birthday presents need not be disclosed);

• electoral expenditure (mainly advertising, printing and direct mail costs) incurred between the issue of the writ and polling day.

People or organisations making donations to candidates in excess of the disclosure threshold must also lodge a return.

Annual returns

Registered political parties and their State or Territory branches and associated entities are required to lodge an annual return with the AEC. This provides information about amounts received and paid during the financial year, and debts outstanding at 30 June.

Donors must disclose gifts totalling more than the disclosure threshold made to a registered political party.

From 2006-07, third parties (including associated entities) who incur political expenditure in excess of the disclosure threshold are also required to lodge an annual return.

Public Inspection

Election disclosure returns are made available for public inspection 24 weeks after polling day on this website.

Annual disclosure returns are similarly made available for public inspection from the first working day in February.